It’s hard to make it to the UFC.
Thousands of professional fighters try every year – and most fail. For a small percentage, however, they sign their names on the dotted line to fight for the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
Sometimes the opportunity comes a bit too soon. Other times, they’re faced with difficult matchups that time proves were bigger challenges than originally anticipated.
When the pink slip comes and a fighter departs the promotion, there is often a phrase they hear on the way out: “Go get a few more wins, and the UFC will consider bringing you back.”
Easier said than done.
For the vast majority, they won’t be back. However, it’s not impossible. A number of fighters have done it over the years. Just look at former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno. He was released from the promotion, built his way back, became a contender, and then won a UFC title.
Current roster members Nicolas Dalby, Dustin Jacoby, Modestas Bukauskas, Kurt Holobaugh, Roosevelt Roberts, and Rhys McKee are among those who have reinforced the possibility.
With the new year upon us, here are 20 former UFC fighters who could return to the promotion in 2024.
Note: Fighters considered for this list had to have competed in at least one UFC bout.
Humberto Bandenay
Age: 29
Weight class: Lightweight
Overall record: 22-8
Record since UFC departure: 8-1 (four-fight winning streak)
Humberto Bandenay created some hype early in his UFC tenure as a 22-year-old Peruvian who won his debut by head kick knockout. Things went downhill for Bandenay thereafter, as he lost three straight fights en route to his promotional exit. Since then, however, it’s been up and up for Bandenay, who’s only loss outside the promotion in nine appearances came by decision against Rafa Garcia, a current member of the UFC’s lightweight roster. Bandenay currently rides a four-fight winning streak with three straight submissions.
Talita Bernardo
Age: 36
Weight class: Bantamweight
Overall record: 10-4
Record since UFC departure: 4-0
Talita Bernardo has only won since she left the UFC in 2019, following a 1-3 promotional stint. Her wins post-departure have included Lucie Pudilova, Yana Gadelha, Katharina Lehner, and Taneisha Tennant in succession. That’s combined opposition record of 30-14. She most recently competed in January when she won the Invicta FC bantamweight title and aligned herself for another potential UFC call-up.
Dakota Bush
Age: 29
Weight class: Lightweight
Overall record: 11-4
Record since UFC departure: 3-0
Dakota Bush’s entrance and exit from the UFC were less than a year apart from one another. He first lost a unanimous decision to Austin Hubbard and then was finished by a Viacheslav Borshchev liver shot in less than one full round. It was back to the drawing board for Bush, who has apparently figured things out. He’s won three straight unanimous decisions and was one of the last casting cuts for “The Ultimate Fighter 31.”
Shane Campbell
Age: 35
Weight class: Welterweight
Overall record: 22-8
Record since UFC departure: 12-2 (seven-fight winning streak)
Dana White has always said, he’s not interested in bringing in 35-year-olds. Well, Shane Campbell should be the exception to that rule. Following a 1-4 stint in the UFC and release in 2016, Campbell has been on an insane tear of violence. Eight of his 12 wins since his UFC departure have been finishes – with various highlight reel and viral moments, like his ridiculous head-kick-to-flying-knee knockout combination against fellow UFC alum Darrell Horcher in his most recent outing.
Randy Costa
Age: 29
Weight class: Featherweight
Overall record: 8-4
Record since UFC departure: 2-0 (one bareknuckle MMA)
It’s been a weird road for Randy Costa thus far in his MMA career – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He entered the UFC unusually inexperienced at just 4-0. During his six-fight UFC tenure, Costa went 2-4 but proved he is must-see TV. Since his departure in 2022, Costa has struggled to find fights. That may have changed, however, with his recent entry into Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA. He turned heads in his promotional debut in November when he pummeled Jason Knight en route to a gruesome 101-second TKO finish.
Kyle Daukaus
Age: 30
Weight class: Middleweight
Overall record: 13-4
Record since UFC departure: 2-0
Kyle Daukaus proved to be a competitive outing for any opponent during his UFC tenure, but his contract was not renewed after a two-fight skid. Daukaus got right back on the horse, though, and won back-to-back fights in CFFC, his old stomping grounds turned new again. In September, Daukaus captured CFFC title gold when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Gregg Ellis.
Alex Da Silva
Age: 27
Weight class: Lightweight
Overall record: 23-5
Record since UFC departure: 2-1 (two-fight winning streak)
One of the best ways to catch the UFC’s attention after a release is to jump right back into tough fights – no record-padding. That’s exactly what Alex Da Silva did. Even though he lost a split decision against Makkasharip Zaynukov, he rebounded nicely with finishes of Ali Mashrapov and Bagysh Zharmamatov. UAE Warriors has established itself as one of the tougher regional promotions to have success in, so Silva being a multi-division titleholder should increase his chances of another UFC opportunity.
Khadis Ibragimov
Age: 28
Weight class: Heavyweight
Overall record: 14-4
Record since UFC departure: 6-0
Khadis Ibragimov had a lot of hype when he entered the UFC in 2019 as the M-1 light heavyweight champion – but the momentum quickly came to a screeching halt. It was a four-and-out for Ibragimov in the span of 13 months. Ibragimov split from the UFC, but has not lost in MMA since. Five of his six victories have been finishes, aligning himself nicely for a second UFC opportunity.
Anthony Ivy
Age: 33
Weight class: Welterweight/middleweight
Overall record: 13-7
Record since UFC departure: 5-3 (five-fight winning streak)
One of the more improbable career turnarounds belongs to Anthony Ivy. Following a two-fight UFC stint that included two losses, Ivy lost three more fights outside the organization. On a five-fight skid that included three knockout/TKO victories, Ivy stuck to the grind and rattled off five straight wins – all finishes – under four promotional banners.
Mason Jones
Age: 28
Weight class: Lightweight
Overall record: 13-2
Record since UFC departure: 2-0
Mason Jones went 1-2 with one no contest in his first UFC stint. The news of his promotional departure surprised some fans, however, as Jones has showed glimpses of promise and potential through the tenure, most notably his Fight of the Night bonus-earning brawl against Mike Davis in his UFC debut. Now back with Cage Warriors, Jones has won back-to-back fights by TKO.
Saidyokub Kakhramonov
Age: 28
Weight class: Featherweight
Overall record: 11-3
Record since UFC departure: 1-0 MMA, 1-0 karate
Saidyokub Kakhramonov was one of the stranger UFC departures in recent memory. Despite a 2-1 record with a strong showing in the lone defeat, Kakhramonov was shown the door in 2023. Since then, Kakhramonov has expressed frustration finding opponents. The solo MMA fight post-fight was a dominant performance, as he submitted 14-3 Rafael Costa in 55 seconds under the XMMA banner. In December, Kakhramonov told MMA Junkie he’s made life changes to mature and asked the UFC for another opportunity. Let’s see if he gets it.
Bobby Moffett
Age: 33
Weight class: Lightweight
Overall record: 17-6
Record since UFC departure: 4-1 (four-fight winning streak)
Bobby Moffett has chipped away nicely at his post-UFC resume. Following his UFC departure, Moffett went 1-1 under the PFL banner with the victory against Jason Knight. Moffett followed up that performance with three more victories including two submissions. Moffett continues to improve, training under Eddie Cha and Santino Defranco at Fight Ready MMA in Scottsdale, Ariz..
Joseph Morales
Age: 29
Weight class: Flyweight
Overall record: 12-2
Record since UFC departure: 3-0
Since his UFC split in 2018, Joseph Morales has only competed three times – but they’ve all been wins. In February, he was crowned Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat flyweight champion with a submission of Anthony Do. Given Morales was a casualty of the UFC’s balk to eliminate the flyweight division, it only makes sense a return is in order should his success continue.
Vince Morales
Age: 33
Weight class: Bantamweight
Overall record: 14-7
Record since UFC departure: 3-0
Vince Morales had a killer lead-up to the UFC. While his 3-5 stint with the promotion was inconsistent, Morales is back in domination mode post-UFC. After back-to-back finishes of UFC alum Teruto Ishihara and Joe Penafiel, Morales took a fight in RIZIN on New Year’s Eve. He won a unanimous decision against seasoned professional Yuki Motoya in enemy territory, shooting him into 2024 with even more momentum.
Kris Moutinho
Age: 31
Weight class: Bantamweight
Overall record: 12-6
Record since UFC departure: 3-0
Kris Moutinho’s claim to fame perhaps isn’t an ideal one at this point, but his lopsided loss to Sean O’Malley made him a known name to fight fans around the world. Put his quick-lived UFC stint to the side for a moment and focus on the process. Moutinho is undefeated with three finishes since his departure and has begun training with Rob Font and Calvin Kattar under coach Tyson Chartier on a more regular basis. A bit reinvented, Moutinho could perhaps use his large social media following and skillset advancements to prove he’s more than what he showed against the now-current UFC bantamweight champion.
Justin Scoggins
Age: 31
Weight class: Bantamweight
Overall record: 15-6
Record since UFC departure: 4-1 (four-fight winning streak)
It’s been a long and winding road for Justin Scoggins. Although it feels like he’s been around for decades, Scoggins is just 31 and has won four MMA fights in a row. Injuries and opponent withdrawals have plagued Scoggins’ career. He’s stopped in RIZIN and BKFC following his UFC departure in 2018. Each and every time he competes, though, Scoggins puts on a show for the fans.
Eric Shelton
Age: 32
Weight class: Bantamweight
Overall record: 17-8
Record since UFC departure: 5-2 (two-fight winning streak)
Put Eric Shelton up against any fighter and it’s likely he’ll hold his own. One of the more durable flyweight fighters in the world, Shelton can make it ugly against anyone. Perhaps his style holds him back a bit, but Shelton continues to rack up the results he wants. Even after a loss, a winning streak seemingly always follows. With back-to-back wins over 7-1 and 12-1 opponents, Shelton has set himself up nicely for a potential UFC return in 2024.
Albert Tumenov
Age: 32
Weight class: Welterweight
Overall record: 24-4
Record since UFC departure: 8-0
For the past five years, Albert Tumenov has been separated from the UFC. For the past five years, Tumenov has not lost a single martial arts contest. Despite the lack of a reunion, Tumenov has long voiced interest in a UFC return, as he’s dominated for ACA (formerly ACB). Will 2024 be the year it finally happens? Only time will tell.
Timur Valiev
Age: 33
Weight class: Bantamweight
Overall record: 18-3
Record since UFC departure: 1-1 in TUF exhibitions
From World Series of Fighting (WSOF) to PFL to the UFC, Timur Valiev largely dominated every foe placed in his path. That’s why it was a bit surprising he left the UFC with a 2-1 (with one no contest) record. Despite the abrupt end to his UFC tenure, a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter 31” shows the UFC might not be all out on Valiev, who made it to the tournament semifinal where he lost a razor-thin split decision to eventual season winner Brad Katona.
Youssef Zalal
Age: 27
Weight class: Featherweight
Overall record: 13-5-1
Record since UFC departure: 3-0
Not many fighters depart the UFC off a draw, but Youssef Zalal did. It was not of his own volition, of course. Zalal reentered the regional scene with two quick knockout wins in 2022. He only competed once in 2023, a first-round submission win. As the calendar flips to 2024, the horizons seem bright for Zalal, who continues to grind daily at Factory X in Colorado.
Honorable mentions
Here are some other alumni having great success post-UFC, but who just didn’t crack the top 20 (possible factors include momentum at time of year-end, age, etc.).
- Will Brooks: 6-1 since departure, 37 years old
- Joe Giannetti: 9-4-1 since departure, 28 years old
- Curtis Millender: three-fight winning streak, 36 years old
- Albert Morales: 4-2 since departure, 32 years old
- Kyle Prepolec: 3-1 since departure, 34 years old
- Michinori Tanaka: 5-1 since departure, 33 years old
- Dequan Townsend: 4-1 since departure 37 years old
- Khama Worthy: 3-1 since departure, 37 years old
