The UFC has officially removed four fighters from its active roster, trimming weight classes from bantamweight to lightweight. The list includes a bantamweight with an 18-1 professional record who lost only once inside the octagon.
The UFC Roster Tracker social media account reported the removal of Jamie Mullarkey, Lando Vannata, Vince Morales, and Daniel Marcos. Each fighter profile on the official UFC website lists them as “not fighting,” confirming their release from the promotion. All four fighters are now free to sign with other promotions, including the PFL, ONE Championship, or return to the regional scene.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 08: UFC CEO Dana White holds a press conference after the UFC 313 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 08, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Daniel Marcos
The most puzzling cut was the release of Peru’s Daniel Marcos, who leaves the UFC with an 18-1 (1 NC) professional record. The 33-year-old last competed in November, securing a rear-naked choke submission over Miles Johns (via ESPN MMA on X):
His promotional debut resulted in a TKO finish over Saimon Oliveira:
Daniel Marcos’ departure is the most surprising, given his winning record in a deep bantamweight division. He holds notable wins over Adrian Yanez, John Castañeda, and Davey Grant. His only UFC loss came via decision to Montel Jackson in May 2025.
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Despite recent success, the promotion declined to renew Marcos after the final bout of his contract expired.
Lando ‘Groovy’ Vannata
Lando Vannata, whose nickname is “Groovy” due to his fighting style and highlight-reel moments, was also taken off the UFC roster.
Vannata ends his UFC tenure with a 4-8-2 promotional record across 14 appearances since debuting against Tony Ferguson in 2016. The 34-year-old returned from a near three-year hiatus in April, losing by TKO to Darrius Flowers (via UFC on TNT on X):
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Lando Vannata was the longest-tenured fighter of the group, known for nearly upsetting Tony Ferguson in his short-notice debut. Despite his losing record, “Groovy” remained a fan favorite due to his creative striking and durability. He owns four knockouts and five submission victories across his entire professional career.
Jamie Mullarkey
Australian lightweight Jamie Mullarkey is out after compiling a 6-7 record in the promotion. The 31-year-old fighter had notable wins over Michael Johnson and John Makdessi. Jamie Mullarkey became a staple of UFC cards in his home country of Australia.
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He leaves the UFC with a professional record of 18-9, having shared the cage with highly-touted prospects like Mauricio Ruffy and Quillan Salkilld. He struggled with consistency, alternating wins and losses frequently, and lost three of his last four fights.
His final octagon appearance came in January when he was submitted via rearnaked choke by Quillan Salkilld at UFC 325 (via UFC on YouTube):
Vince Morales
Bantamweight Vince Morales was also cut from the promotion for the second time in his career. The 35-year-old went 0-4 in his second UFC stint, dropping decisions to Taylor Lapilus, Elijah Smith, Raul Rosas Jr., and Colby Thicknesse. Morales originally went 3-5 with the UFC before a 5-0 regional run earned him a second chance.
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As of right now, Morales was the only fighter to address his release on social media (via Vince Morales on X):
Vince Morales fought 12 times under the UFC banner between his two stints, amassing a 3-9 record. His second run lasted just one year, ending winless across four decisions. “Vandetta” proved to be a tough out for rising stars, but couldn’t secure a victory.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
