The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was back in Fortaleza, Brazil for the second time in promotional history last Saturday (March 11, 2017) with UFC Fight Night 106: Belfort vs. Gastelum, where seven of 12 bouts ended inside the distance. The solid night of entertaining action is now in our rear view, so let’s take a look at which of the evening’s competitors we may no longer see going to work inside the Octagon… ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK Josh Burkman Burkman suffered a first-round north-south choke submission loss against Michel Prazeres, and he is now on a three-fight losing streak inside the Octagon. He is 1-5-1 NC in his second stint with the promotion, which would be 1-6 if not for Hector Lombard failing a post-fight drug test. Burkman momentarily retired following the bout, but he has appeared to have changed his mind. His UFC career is over, but it is possible we will see him pop up back in WSOF, or perhaps see new life in Bellator, which has come to be known as the home of the veterans and practically the legend’s league Vitor Belfort has been asking for. Garreth McLellan McLellan suffered a first-round TKO against undefeated promotional newcomer Paulo Costa, and he is now on a three-fight skid inside the Octagon. Following three consecutive defeats, two by way of T/KO, I think there is a very good chance that the promotion will be parting ways with the South African fighter. Despite being 13-6 overall in his MMA career, he would be leaving the promotion with a 1-4 record, with the lone victory being a come-from-behind third-round TKO of Bubba Bush. I believe we have seen the last of McLellan inside the Octagon, but perhaps we’ll see him pop up on a future Cage Warriors card.
