Last week, bantamweight fighter John Lineker was officially released from the UFC after being with the promotion since 2012. Lineker was originally set to fight Rob Font last month at UFC Greenville; however, the Brazil native was forced to withdraw from the bout due to suffering a facial injury.
That move seemed to seal Linker’s fate in the promotion, as in a recent interview with TSN, UFC President Dana White makes it clear that it was Lineker’s constant dropouts from fights that caused him to be released (transcript courtesy of
mmamania.com):
“I think it was because he hasn’t made weight a few times,” said White, “and I just know that the matchmakers were super frustrated with him. The guy wasn’t being professional. When you don’t make it to the octagon either a bunch of times, it’s a waste of everybody’s time, energy and money. We expect guys to be professional, do what they’re supposed to do, show up. The matchmakers were done. They had it.”
Despite being let go from the UFC, “Hands of Stone” has bounced back quickly, as the ex-UFC fighter has recently signed with ONE Championship: