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In a stunning turn of events, Dana White’s UFC has parted ways with one of its marquee fighters following a series of lackluster performances inside the Octagon. Known for its ruthless commitment to delivering elite combat sports entertainment, the promotion has always prioritized maintaining a roster of high-caliber athletes who consistently rise to the occasion. However, the organization’s strict stance on contract renewals for fighters who falter under the spotlight has once again come into play.
This time, a once-promising star’s UFC journey has abruptly ended after failing to meet the promotion’s exacting standards—a decision that underscores the cutthroat nature of MMA’s premier stage.
From contender series to exit: The unraveling of a middleweight prospect
The fighter in question, Armen Petrosyan, entered the UFC with undeniable hype after earning a contract through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. His debut victory over Gregory Rodrigues—a recent headliner—cemented his reputation as a dynamic striker with knockout power. However, the Armenian-Russian middleweight’s trajectory took a sharp downturn over his last three fights.
At UFC 313, Petrosyan faced Brunno Ferreira in a must-win bout to salvage his spot on the roster. Despite early aggression, the fight slipped away after Petrosyan committed multiple fouls, leading to Ferreira capitalizing with a fight-ending armbar in Round 2.
This marked Petrosyan’s third consecutive loss, following defeats to rising contenders like Caio Borralho and Shara Magomedov—the latter of which ended in a viral spinning backfist knockout at UFC 308. While Petrosyan once shone with a pivotal 2023 upset over undefeated prospect Christian Leroy Duncan, his recent struggles exposed vulnerabilities in both his ground game and consistency.
Sources confirmed that UFC 313 was the final fight on Petrosyan’s contract, and the Dana White-led promotion opted not to renew his deal following his removal from the roster. At 34, Petrosyan now faces an uncertain future in free agency. Though his striking pedigree and experience could attract interest from other promotions, his exit underscores the UFC’s unyielding demand for fighters to evolve—or risk becoming expendable. Petrosyan has yet to react to this, and the moment we have a further update about what the Armenian-Russian said about being axed, we'll let you know.
