Farid Basharat has issued a statement confirming he has parted ways with the UFC.
The 16-0 bantamweight completed his contract with MMA’s premier promotion with a decision win at UFC 329 in July.
On Wednesday, fans were left stunned when it was revealed that the UFC had opted against re-signing Farid Basharat.
How can the UFC justify releasing 16-0 bantamweight Farid Basharat?
Farid Basharat confirms his UFC exit
Farid Basharat issued a lengthy social media post confirming his departure from the UFC on Thursday.
The 29-year-old talked up his 7-0 run in the Octagon before taking a swipe at his old employer for failing to offer him a new deal.
“The news is confirmed, I am no longer with the UFC,” Basharat wrote on Instagram.
“I’ve had an incredibly successful time in the organization. I’m proud and happy with what I’ve accomplished inside the Octagon. I leave with a stainless record. Holding the longest active win streak in my weight division and the fourth longest in the entire UFC.
“I feel I’m the best bantamweight in the world. I always turned up and fought regardless of injuries and weight deficits. And I always asked for the toughest opponent to get me closer to the title.
“But my departure clearly has nothing to do with my fighting capabilities. Unfortunately, the organisation just isn’t what it used to be. They’re heading in a different direction from what we all grew up loving.
“I want to clarify that since my last fight, I was never offered a contract or an opponent. I waited, but it never came. I’ve certainly never declined a fight during my whole tenure.
“I want to thank the UFC staff with whom I’ve developed a great relationship these past few years. And most importantly, thank you to the fans for all your support.
Farid Basharat’s perfect UFC run
Farid Basharat joined the UFC after impressing Dana White on the Contender Series in September 2022.
Since then, the Afghan-born British fighter has won seven fights in a row to become a bantamweight title contender.
| Opponent | Result | Method | Event | Date |
| John Garza | Win | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 329 | July 11, 2026 |
| Jean Matsumoto | Win | Decision (Split) | UFC Fight Night 266 | February 7, 2026 |
| Chris Gutiérrez | Win | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 320 | October 4, 2025 |
| Victor Hugo | Win | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 308 | October 26, 2024 |
| Taylor Lapilus | Win | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC Fight Night 234 | January 13, 2024 |
| Kleydson Rodrigues | Win | Submission (Arm-Triangle) | UFC Fight Night 226 | September 2, 2023 |
| Da’Mon Blackshear | Win | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 285 | March 4, 2023 |
Basharat was ranked #9 by Meta AI and #13 by the media before his shocking release from the UFC.
It appears he’s been let go by the promotion due to the lack of finishes during his perfect run.
PFL/MVP, Rizin, OKTAGON, KSW, and every other fight league on the planet will be vying to sign Basharat in the coming weeks.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Bloody Elbow content each week direct to your mailbox
