“My heart is shattered” – Veteran Derek Brunson’s sudden release from UFC roster leaves fans shocked 

Derek Brunson ended his remarkable 11-year UFC journey with an extraordinary 21-fight run, facing legends like Israel Adesanya, Robert Whitaker, and Anderson Silva.

“My heart is shattered” – Veteran Derek Brunson’s sudden release from UFC roster leaves fans shocked 

Derek Brunson (via IMAGO)

Derek Brunson departed from the UFC after an impressive 11-year journey within the promotion. He had an extraordinary 21-fight run in the UFC and fought the ikes of Israel Adesanya, Robert Whitaker, and Anderson Silva to name a few. Ali Abdelaziz, his manager, confirmed Brunson’s departure.

Brunson was slated to fight Roman Dolidze at UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. UFC Roster Watch, an automated X, formerly Twitter, account, was the first to report his release. The exit of the eighth-ranked contender sent fans into a frenzy. One fan commented, “NOOOO THIS BETTER BE CONTRACT STUFF MY HEART IS SHATTERED.” Brunson had a good run in the UFC where he was ranked in the top 10 for almost 7 years. He had two occasions of being on a five-fight win streak in the UFC but was currently on a skid. Dricus Du Plessis and Jared Cannonier finished Derek Brunson badly in recent bouts.

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Brunson was on the brink of a title shot at UFC 271 when Adesanya faced Whitaker for the second time. Cannonier defeated him in the featured bout of the main card and stole the title shot from him. His recent losses against Du Plessis and Cannonier showcased a deficiency in cardio. He appeared visibly tired in both of those fights.

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Sean Strickland upset Israel Adesanya to claim the middleweight title days before Derek Brunson’s departure. Roman Dolidze, who was originally scheduled to fight Brunson at UFC 295, expressed great respect for Brunson’s career moving forward.

Related: Sean Strickland crowned ‘People’s Champ’ by fans after forcefully taking vacation following historical win against Israel Adesanya 

Pros and Fans react to Derek Brunson’s departure from the UFC

Derek Brunson celebrating his victory (Image Courtesy - Bloody Elbow)
Derek Brunson celebrating his victory (Image Courtesy – Bloody Elbow)

The departure of Derek Brunson is a big bow for the UFC. The perennial contender in the division was the perfect gatekeeper for the middleweight division. Either his last two opponents have contended for the title shot or will contend for it next. Jared Cannonier already fought for the title and Dricus Du Plessis is on the cusp of one. Many fans and pros reacted to the stunning news of Brunson’s exit from the UFC. See the reactions on X below.

https://twitter.com/vanderkooey/status/1702471346649735640
https://twitter.com/TheFutureMMA/status/1702470351492354390
https://twitter.com/HaiderRick/status/1702541715339391346

The news of Brunson’s exit has shocked many fans. One fan wanted Derek Brunson to retire food. Some fans believe that the exit is related to a contract dispute. Even Roman Dolidze and Ian Garry commented on the post. Dolidze praised Brunson for his career. But Garry was more interested in trolling Brunson.

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