UFC Cuts Four Fighters in One Day, Including 18-1 Bantamweight Daniel Marcos
The UFC has officially removed four fighters from its active roster, trimming weight classes from bantamweight to lightweight. The list includes a bantamweight with an 18-1 professional record who lost only once inside the octagon.
The UFC Roster Tracker social media account reported the removal of Jamie Mullarkey, Lando Vannata, Vince Morales, and Daniel Marcos. Each fighter profile on the official UFC website lists them as "not fighting," confirming their release from the promotion. All four fighters are now free to sign with other promotions, including the PFL, ONE Championship, or return to the regional scene.
Daniel Marcos
The most puzzling cut was the release of Peru's Daniel Marcos, who leaves the UFC with an 18-1 (1 NC) professional record. The 33-year-old last competed in November, securing a rear-naked choke submission over Miles Johns (via ESPN MMA on X):
Daniel Marcos put Miles Johns to sleep #UFCVegas111pic.twitter.com/aaDCbtMLYF
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 8, 2025
His promotional debut resulted in a TKO finish over Saimon Oliveira:
Daniel Marcos' departure is the most surprising, given his winning record in a deep bantamweight division. He holds notable wins over Adrian Yanez, John Castañeda, and Davey Grant. His only UFC loss came via decision to Montel Jackson in May 2025.
Despite recent success, the promotion declined to renew Marcos after the final bout of his contract expired.
Lando ‘Groovy' Vannata
Lando Vannata, whose nickname is "Groovy" due to his fighting style and highlight-reel moments, was also taken off the UFC roster.
Vannata ends his UFC tenure with a 4-8-2 promotional record across 14 appearances since debuting against Tony Ferguson in 2016. The 34-year-old returned from a near three-year hiatus in April, losing by TKO to Darrius Flowers (via UFC on TNT on X):
Darrius Flowers SLAMMED Lando Vannata and got the finish! #UFCVegas115 | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/v30Y4zG547
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) April 4, 2026
Lando Vannata was the longest-tenured fighter of the group, known for nearly upsetting Tony Ferguson in his short-notice debut. Despite his losing record, "Groovy" remained a fan favorite due to his creative striking and durability. He owns four knockouts and five submission victories across his entire professional career.
Jamie Mullarkey
Australian lightweight Jamie Mullarkey is out after compiling a 6-7 record in the promotion. The 31-year-old fighter had notable wins over Michael Johnson and John Makdessi. Jamie Mullarkey became a staple of UFC cards in his home country of Australia.
He leaves the UFC with a professional record of 18-9, having shared the cage with highly-touted prospects like Mauricio Ruffy and Quillan Salkilld. He struggled with consistency, alternating wins and losses frequently, and lost three of his last four fights.
His final octagon appearance came in January when he was submitted via rearnaked choke by Quillan Salkilld at UFC 325 (via UFC on YouTube):
Vince Morales
Bantamweight Vince Morales was also cut from the promotion for the second time in his career. The 35-year-old went 0-4 in his second UFC stint, dropping decisions to Taylor Lapilus, Elijah Smith, Raul Rosas Jr., and Colby Thicknesse. Morales originally went 3-5 with the UFC before a 5-0 regional run earned him a second chance.
As of right now, Morales was the only fighter to address his release on social media (via Vince Morales on X):
Sad day, makes sense on paper. I still know how capable I am though. I'll have some news soon. Cheers fam https://t.co/Vlray0UwzV
— Vince Morales (@vandetta135) May 30, 2026
Vince Morales fought 12 times under the UFC banner between his two stints, amassing a 3-9 record. His second run lasted just one year, ending winless across four decisions. "Vandetta" proved to be a tough out for rising stars, but couldn't secure a victory.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 8:01 PM.