The UFC made headlines over the weekend with several key cuts to fighters that were relatively household names. Chief among these were Canadian fan-favorite Elias Theodorou and former Flyweight contender Wilson Reis. Marcelo Golm and Eric Shelton will both also need to find new MMA homes.
The release of Theodorou is particularly surprising, given that he had an 8-3 UFC record and just participated in a co-main event last month. Rumors are that a few more names will be added to this clear out, with Heavyweight Justin Willis chief among them.
Anthony Smith Ready for Gustafsson Fight
After a loss to Jon Jones for the title last time out, Anthony Smith will travel to Sweden to take on Alex Gustafsson. Smith insists he has no particular game plan for the Gustafsson fight and will just look to take the fight as it comes. He has hinted that he’ll take considerable time off after this fight, so it’ll be interesting to see whether that comes into play.
Smith thinks that lasting 5 rounds against Jon Jones proves his toughness, where Gustafsson was knocked out in the 3rd last time out. Either way, it’s great to see some trash talk in the lead up to this exciting main event.
Alex Oliveira Facing Assault Case
Police are expected to speak with Alex Oliveira on Monday regarding news of an alleged assault. Oliveira is said to have assaulted his ex-wife early on Saturday morning in Rio de Janeiro. He had supposedly shown up to meet her and their 5-month old son, before striking her and taking his son on his motorbike.
These are obviously damning allegations that could have a long-term impact on Oliveira’s MMA career. As always, we’ll keep you updated throughout any developments on this story.