Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana
White addressed Basharat's departure after
UFC Edmonton. White suggested there were reasons beyond the
unbeaten bantamweight's results for the decision not to renew his
contract, prompting a response.

Farid Basharat denies refusing UFC fights, cites Victor Hugo
weight miss and torn MCL

The UFC did not offer Basharat (16-0) a new contract despite his
7-0 promotional record. After White raised difficulties with
matchmakers and declined fights as possible reasons for such
departures, “Ferocious†reiterated that he had never turned down an
opponent and cited instances in which he competed under unfavorable
circumstances.

Basharat pointed to his victory over Victor Hugo, who weighed 145.5
pounds for their originally scheduled bantamweight bout in 2024 —
9.5 pounds above the non-title limit. He also said he competed with
a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee during his
Dana White's Contender Series appearance in 2022.

“He kind of alluded to, maybe I was turning down fights, or maybe I
was difficult to deal with,†Basharat said on Instagram. “I
definitely didn't turn nobody down. In fact, we're talking about
the same guy that, in Abu Dhabi, I fought in 2024; my opponent
missed weight by 10 pounds and I still went ahead with the fight…
Still put on a good show and won. In my Contender Series fight, I
had a torn MCL, still went ahead with the fight… These are facts
you can ask your UFC staff; you can ask the physio team.â€

Crowd brawls at UFC events are far from rare, but the incident that occurred this past Saturday might be up there for the wildest ending yet.

UFC Edmonton was held inside Rogers Place and there was plenty for the crowd to cheer about. Home country favorites, such as headliner Mike Malott and Jasmine Jasudavicius, scored significant victories to send the fans off on a high note.

Despite the good vibes, there was indeed a melee in the stands, but one Edmonton police officer put an abrupt halt to the brouhaha. One man continued to throw punches at another fan despite being swarmed by cops and security. One officer had enough and delivered a German suplex that seemingly knocked the man out cold.

The fan on the receiving end of the suplex was also tased for good measure. Users on X were quick to comment after watching the clip, and “Jim The Fing Casual†suggests UFC CEO Dana White open up the checkbook for officer.

“That cop shoulda got a bonus from Dana as well.â€

Another user, “@ufcshosh,†had a humorous idea for the cop's next venture.

“Dana signing to next season of Contender Series.â€

The man who got slammed is getting little sympathy given his actions on video, and “Joey†believes justice was served in short order.

“Deserved. It's a privilege to go to events, if you're gonna act like a jackass you deserve what you got coming.â€

There were a few folks on social media who took exception to the cop putting his knee on the man's back after he was already knocked out and tased. “Walker Texas Ranger†pointed this out in a quote post.

“*Knocks the dude out cold.* ‘GET TO YOUR F***ING STOMACH.'â€

What do you think about the the policer officer who slammed the UFC Edmonton fan to end a crowd brawl? Was it justified, or did the cop take things too far? Share your opinion in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Zuffa LLC

UFC's decision to forgo re-signing undefeated bantamweight Farid Basharat has been puzzling to some, and Dana White hasn't given a true explanation.

Basharat is 16-0 in his pro MMA career, and he went 7-0 under the UFC banner. Despite his success, he ultimately wasn't offered a contract renewal with the top MMA promotion. Many have speculated that Basharat's streak of decisions led to his free agency.

During a chat with reporters during the UFC Edmonton post-fight presser, White implied that UFC matchmakers usually have a problem with the fighter in these situations, but he didn't give an actual reason for Basharat's case (h/t MMAMania.com).

“When guys' contracts are up — and this isn't the first time this has happened. Either guys aren't good to deal with, or the matchmakers don't want to deal with them, which could be turning down fights or whatever the reasoning is,†White said. “If you're 16-0 with 7 wins in the UFC and don't get re-signed, there's definitely a reason.â€

“Ferocious†last competed back in June on the preliminary portion of UFC 329. That card was headlined by the short-lived and disappointing return of Conor McGregor, who suffered ACL and meniscus injuries during his rematch against Max Holloway. Basharat defeated John Garza at the event via unanimous decision.

Decision victories had become a trend for Basharat at the end of his UFC run. His last five wins have gone the distance. Despite not having a a finish since Sept. 2023, Basharat isn't considered a boring fighter across the board. Whether or not he ran into problems with UFC matchmakers remains to be seen.

What do you make of UFC's decision to not offer Farid Basharat's a contract renewal? Do you think Basharat simply lacked the entertainment value and marketability? Join in on the conversation by sharing your opinion in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM