Farid Basharat Leaves UFC Undefeated, Says Promotion Lost Its Way
Farid Basharat exits the UFC at 16-0, saying the promotion no longer values quality fighting.
Farid Basharat is no longer with the UFC, and the undefeated bantamweight is not going quietly.
The 29-year-old Afghan fighter confirmed his departure on Instagram after his contract expired following a unanimous decision win over John Garza on the UFC 329 prelims in July. The UFC chose not to offer a new deal, despite Basharat going 7-0 in the promotion and holding a perfect 16-0 professional record.
"The news is confirmed, I am no longer with the UFC," Basharat wrote. He said he left with a "stainless record" and that his exit "had nothing to do with my fighting ability." Basharat took a direct shot at the promotion's direction, saying "unfortunately the organisation just isn't what it used to be."
He also said he was never offered a new opponent or contract after his last fight and had never turned down a bout during his time with the promotion.
The release raised eyebrows across the sport. Six of Basharat's seven UFC wins came by decision, fueling speculation that the promotion's push for finishers played a role. His victories included ranked wins over Jean Matsumoto, Chris Gutierrez and Taylor Lapilus, and he reached the top 15 in the official bantamweight rankings.
His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, did not hold back. "It will be crazy if they don't sign him, honestly," Abdelaziz said before the final fight. "I think Farid is one of the best bantamweights on the planet."
Basharat's brother Javid was also released by the UFC earlier this year and has since signed with the PFL. That promotion could be next for Farid as well, though no talks have been reported. The UFC has not publicly explained the decision.
This one bothers me. You go 16-0 in your career, 7-0 in the biggest promotion on the planet, beat ranked guys and never turn down a fight, and the UFC just lets your contract expire like you were some prelim filler. That is wild.
I get that the UFC wants finishers. I get that Dana wants guys who are going to leave fans screaming. But Basharat beat real dudes. Gutierrez and Matsumoto are no jokes, and the man never lost. At some point the win column has to matter more than the highlight reel.
The worst part is what it signals to every other fighter in the building. You can do everything right, win every round, never duck anyone, and still get shown the door because your style does not fit the algorithm. That is a tough look for a promotion trying to sign the next generation of talent. PFL or MVP should be on the phone already.
