The UFC’s move to Paramount+ in 2026 will mark a huge shift in the promotion’s business model, as the elimination of the pay-per-view paywall for numbered events will cause the promotion to rely on maximizing Paramount+ subscription growth. This new business landscape will undoubtedly place pressure on the roster to generate not just wins but consistent fan engagement that drives viewership and retains subscribers.
With a sizable month-long gap of no events, UFC executives like Sean Shelby, Dana White, and Mick Maynard, who oversee the roster, have already made decisions to funnel towards those goals. Just two days before Christmas, the UFC released three fighters, including one prospect with an unblemished record within the organization.
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Who Did the UFC Release?
According to UFC Roster Tracker, a trusted source for roster tracking on X, the UFC today has just released Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, Loik Radzhabov, and Rinat Fakhretdinov.
Rinat Fakhretdinov
The most shocking departure is undoubtedly that of Rinat Fakhretdinov.
The 34-year-old Russian welterweight was on a formidable 21-fight unbeaten streak (according to Tapology), and has 6 wins and 1 draw with no defeats within the UFC. He’s even fresh off a 54-second knockout victory over Andreas Gustafsson in Sept. 2025. Fakhretdinov also has notable wins over Kevin Lee and Bryan Battle, and has previously cracked the UFC’s top 15 rankings.
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His reasons for leaving the roster, however, are not because the UFC cut him, per se.
He revealed via his Telegram account, “No one fired me, the contract expired, and for certain reasons it wasn’t renewed. The offers are already pouring in, and with a very different pay.”
With his impressive resume, Fakhretdinov is likely to become a top target for major global promotions like the PFL.
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Veteran Brazilian striker Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos exits the UFC after 18 fights within the promotion. His record within the UFC is a respectable 11 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw against the aforementioned Fakhretdinov.
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Despite being 39 years old, Elizeu possessed explosive knockout power and dynamic athleticism, as evidenced by his spinning hook kick knockout of eventual middleweight champion Sean Strickland (the knockout can be seen around the 4:40 mark):
His weakness in recent years, however, was a decline in durability as he left on a two-fight losing skid, having been finished in both outings.
With a storied UFC career behind him, Zaleski dos Santos may either retire or choose to continue competing in other promotions like ONE Championship, where his fan-friendly style remains a major draw.
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Loik Radzhabov
Lightweight Loik Radzhabov had a brief and inconsistent UFC tenure, finishing with a 2-2 record in the promotion.
His debut resulted in a significant win over a solid prospect in Esteban Ribovics, but unfortunately, he could not build sustained momentum.
A likely reason for his release was his inactivity. He did not compete at all in 2025, which often leads to roster removal as the UFC seeks to maximize the number of active fighters.
He is still a fighter with proven talent, but he needs more cage time. At 32 years old, his probable next step is to rebuild his record and confidence on the regional circuit, or return to the PFL, with an eye toward earning a potential return to the UFC in the future.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
