Chase Sherman Released by UFC for Second Time

Chase Sherman, UFC
Chase Sherman, UFC Vegas 46 weigh-in Credit: Alex Behunin/Cageside Press

Heavyweight Chase Sherman’s second run with the UFC has come to an end.

On Tuesday, UFC Roster Watch, an automated service which monitors changes to the promotion’s athlete database, noted that Sherman (15-9) had been removed from the roster.

MMA Fighting subsequently reported that Sherman had been released from his contract.

“The Vanilla Gorilla” originally joined the UFC in 2016, after posting a 9-1 record on the regional circuit. His first run would see him gain a small amount of stardom as the “GIF King,” but after posting a 2-5 record, he was bounced from the promotion.

Sherman would go on to find success as a bare-knuckle boxer, winning the BKFC heavyweight championship in 2019. Three more wins on the regional scene in MMA, and he was back in the confines of the UFC.

His first fight back saw Sherman pick up a win over Ike Villaneuva, however he would subsequently fail an in-competition drug test for Anastrozole, resulting in a nine-month suspension by USADA. The win was not, however, overturned by the Florida Boxing Commission.

From there, Sherman would lose his final three dates in the UFC, most recently being submitted this past January by Jake Collier. That followed decision losses to Parker Porter and ex-champ Andrei Arlovski.