Former UFC women’s bantamweight title challenger Alexis Davis is no longer part of the promotion’s active roster.
Davis, and light heavyweight Danilo Marques, have both exited the company. In both cases, it appears the fighters completed their contracts, and were not re-signed. UFC Roster Watch, an automated service that monitors changes to the UFC’s fighter database, first took note of the news.
An additional report by MMA Fighting noted that it was unlikely either fighter would be brought back at this time.
It’s particularly surprising in the case of Davis (21-11), who had posted a 2-1 record in her last three fights. After a failed run at flyweight, Davis had returned to the 135lb division last year, winning a unanimous decision against Sabina Mazo. She then dropped a decision to Pannie Kianzad, before bouncing back earlier this month with another unanimous decision win, this time over Julija Stoliarenko.
Davis originally joined the UFC in 2013, having previously competed for Strikeforce. A three-fight win streak saw her earn a shot against then-champ Ronda Rousey. It was over in 16 seconds, with Rousey winning by KO.
If she opts to continue her career, the 37-year old Port Colbourne, Ontario native could be an immediate contender for the likes of Bellator MMA — though whether she’d consider another drop to flyweight remains to be seen.
Danilo Marques (11-4) went 2-2 in his four-fight UFC run. While the Brazilian started strong with two consecutive wins in the light heavyweight division, he’d lost his last two. Most recently, Marques was stopped via TKO by promotional newcomer Jailton Almeida.
