On Tuesday, automated service UFC Roster Watch noted the removal of multiple fighters from the promotion’s athlete database. Among them, longtime Canadian standout John Makdessi, who recently dropped a decision many saw as a robbery.

The full list of fighters let go (which could include releases or contracts simply not renewed) to date is as follows:

• JP Buys
• Carl Deaton
• Andre Fialho
• AJ Fletcher
• Kamuela Kirk
• Tucker Lutz
• John Makdessi
• Shane Young

Additionally, both Hannah Goldy and Jake Collier were removed from the roster earlier this month.

Buys confirmed his exit from the promotion on social media, writing a brief message on his Instagram Story. “Thank you and so long UFC. It’s never been easy for me but at the time I gave it all I had.”

Carl Deaton also confirmed his removal from the roster, thanking fans and adding “I’m in a new ring.” There’s no confirmation as to where Deaton has landed just yet.

Makdessi’s name, however, is likely the one that will take most fans by surprise. “The Bull” joined the promotion in 2010 and posted an 11-9 record through twenty fights with the company. Most recently, he was on the wrong end of a unanimous decision at UFC 293 in Sydney against Jamie Mullarkey — and made headlines after he revealed how much he had lost to taxes while fighting abroad in Australia.

Andre Fialho being out, meanwhile, doesn’t quite come as a shock having lost four straight. But as a sure-fire entertainer coming off a Fight of the Night bonus-winning effort, it’s still somewhat surprising to see him shown the door, even after the four-pack of setbacks. In seven fights with the promotion, Fialho bagged three post-fight bonuses.

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Veteran Makdessi had been with the company well over a decade by the time Saturday night rolled around, while Australia’s Mullarkey had three bonuses under his belt since joining the UFC in 2019.

The two looked hesitant to begin the fight as Makdessi looked to cut the cage off from Mullarkey. Just under a minute into the fight, the only strike having been thrown was a leg kick from Mullarkey. Despite that, Makdessi continued to try and put on some cage pressure, but it was to no avail as he couldn’t land any meaningful strikes. Again Mullarkey landed an inside leg kick as Makdessi continued to push forward. With two minutes left of the opening round, the leg kicks of Mullarkey seemed to be the theme. Makdessi landed a big right cross towards the end of the round, with the first five minutes being close.

Coming into round two Mullarkey was showing some claret, with Makdessi’s strikes showing. Mullarkey didn’t let the blood deter him though as he continued to fire out his fast and powerful kicks. The outside leg kick from the 29-year-old began to pay dividends as Makdessi’s forward pressure began to slow down. From there, Mullarkey began to take over from a pressure point of view, whilst also becoming the more active striker. With just two minutes left of the round, the action was halted as Makdessi landed a big groin shot to the home country fighter. Mullarkey didn’t want to sit around though and the fight continued very shortly after. After landed the groin shot, it seemed to give Makdessi a bit of a second wind as he looked to once again put on some forward pressure. Despite him putting on the forward pressure, he wasn’t able to out strike Mullarkey, until the final moments when he landed a huge right hand that dropped Mullarkey.

Mullarkey had the round interval to try and recover from that big shot, and in the opening moments it seemed as though he’d done just that. Again he looked to land big leg kicks both inside and outside. As well as that, it opened up “The Bull’s” striking and he continued to land combinations. Mullarkey caught the Canadian with a knee that seemed to do a lot of damage. Makdessi recovered well though and continued to put on the pressure. Round three began to look like a dog fight with both fighters feeling the pressure and the damage. They both continued to push on though and both had their moments of success in the pocket exchanges.

Mullarkey’s nose continued to leak as he continued to try and land his counter shots. Makdessi’s forward pressure began to peek back into the fight and seemed to allow him to take over the second half of the final round. The 15 minutes culminated with both fighters wearing the damage and no one knowing how it could’ve possibly been scored. In the end, the judges sided with Jamie Mullarkey, leaving Makdessi to go back to the drawing board.

Official Result: Jamie Mullarkey def. John Makdessi by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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“Always would rather win, but it’s lit a big fire under me for this fight,” Mullarkey told reporters on Wednesday.

“The camp’s been a good strong camp. I’ve been motivated every single day thinking about that last loss so I’ve really kicked it up a gear this camp.”

He draws Makdessi a veteran of 19 UFC bouts out of the famed TriStar Gym in Canada.

“Super excited man. Super excited and a real honor to be sharing the cage with him. He’s a G. He’s a G in the sport, tons of experience, tons of skill, so yeah it was really one that made me go ‘woah’,” he said.

“F*ck yeah.”

Makdessi is no spring chicken anymore, but it’s hard to deny that the experience factor will be something that Mullarkey will have to deal with in the cage. He knows Makdessi will try to get him to make mistakes in the cage.

“I think it’ll be him trying to frustrate me to be honest. I think it’ll be him trying to use his skill and his fight experience to frustrate me, lead me into traps,” said Mullarkey.

“So we’ve been working hard. We’ve had some great kickboxers, great bodies in for this camp, and I’m really excited to show the levels I’ve come up.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Jamie Mullarkey above. He takes on John Makdessi at UFC 293 on Saturday night.

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Makdessi (18-7) was coming off a split-decision win over Ignacio Bahamondes in April 2021. With a layoff of over a year Makdessi was looking to make a statement upon his return to the cage at UFC Paris.

Haqparast (13-5) came in riding a two-fight losing streak with losses to Dan Hooker and Bobby Green respectively. Haqparast needed a win in order to stay off the bubble of possible cuts to the roster.

With both men needing to make a statement the stakes were high as they entered the cage on Saturday night at Accor Arena.

Round 1 both men were very wary of each other’s power. Makdessi got the early shots in, but Haqparast began to fire off the jab with a quickness. Makdessi attacked the body with kicks, and stabbing front kicks while Haqparast tried to employ his jab game while setting up high kicks. Both men used the round to feel each other out while battling with a restless crowd.

Round 2 brought more aggressive attacks from both, but the actions slowed back down again until a left hook from Haqparast dropped Makdessi. Makdessi recovered quickly and we were back to the same pace as before. End of the round and we could see Makdessi damaged in the eye with blood coming out. Cut happened in the first round.

Round 3 more of the same to begin the round, but Haqparast began putting more power into his shots. Makdessi continued to attack with kicks mainly, but Haqparast had his counter on a hair trigger. Makdessi clearly felt he was down on the cards as he doubled his pressure on Haqparast, but not much came of it. Haqparast’s movement was clean and effective to minimize any damage. Two takedowns for Haqparast, but the second one sealed the deal as he took Makdessi down and kept him there for the remainder of the fight.

Official Result: Nasrat Haqparast def. John Makdessi via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

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ESPN was first to report the news that Nasrat Haqparast will fight John Makdessi on February 19 at a yet-to-be-announced UFC fight night. A source close to the situation subsequently confirmed the lightweight fight to Cageside Press.

Haqparast (13-4) is fresh off a unanimous decision loss to Dan Hooker at UFC 266 in September, in which he had his two-fight win streak snapped. The German fighter had to jump through several hoops in order for the fight to take place. Before his recent loss, he defeated Rafa Garcia and Alexander Munoz.

Makdessi (18-7) is coming off a war with Ignacio Bahamondes that took place back in April, in which he won via split decision. The long time UFC veteran is 4-1 in his last five with wins over Ross Pearson, and Abel Trujillo, and is looking to make a last career push towards the top of the lightweight division.

The UFC’s February 19, 2022 event does not have an official location, venue, or broadcast plan announced. The following fights have been reported for the event:

• Jesse Strader vs. Chad Anheliger
• Austin Lingo vs. Jonathan Pearce
• Chas Skelly vs. Mark Striegl
• Kyle Daukaus vs. Julian Marquez
• Nasrat Haqparast vs. John Makdessi

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The pairing was, in reality, a statement on the high expectations the promotion has for Bahamondes. And though he stumbled at weigh-in, missing weight by less than a pound, a big finish in the preliminary card lightweight (sorry, catchweight) fight could easily remedy that.

That, however, was not in the cards. What did play out was a potential Fight of the Night that would have had fans on their feet, were any in the arena.

Bahamondes showed plenty of stance switches early in the bout Saturday afternoon — an approach that seemed to catch Makdessi off-guard. With his height and reach advantage, Bahamondes was able to keep Makdessi on the outside and build up his numbers. But when Makdessi did connect, he clipped Bahamondes, rocking him. Makdessi, very much like the bull he’s named for, moved in and followed up, landing several right hands. Bahamondes opted to clinch, trying to shake off the cobwebs, which allowed Makdessi to land some short punches. Next, Bahamondes opted to look for a takedown — anything to get him through to the end of the round.

Has him HURT 😤@JohnMakdessi laying it on in RD1! #UFCVegas23 pic.twitter.com/AwdbtH6LPc

— UFC (@ufc) April 10, 2021

Entering the second, whether Bahamondes was still compromised was the question at hand. Makdessi continued to walk down his opponent — but the newcomer was able to use his jab and inside/outside leg kicks to keep busy. Incredibly, Makdessi was able to find success with his own jab, despite the reach disadvantage. The difference maker to the midway point of the fight was essentially the significance of the strikes landed: Makdessi was doing more damage, and Bahamondes was wearing the evidence all over his face.

What had been a very entertaining fight through two rounds saw the final frame open with Makdessi throwing some kicks upstairs. Bahamondes fired a spinning kick that sailed over Makdessi’s head. Makdessi’s own kicks to the body and legs were connecting, and as the round progressed, Bahamondes was falling further behind. Looking to change tracks, Bahamondes shot for a takedown, but the Canadian’s takedown defense was up to snuff. In his favor, Bahamondes did land a number of uppercuts in a brief clinch. Time, however, had become a factor. Bahamondes did turn things up in the later half of the final frame. Makdessi was still landing, and by the end of the fight, Ignacio Bahamondes’ face was a mask of blood. Which left little question as to who won the Fight of the Night caliber contest. Except, apparently, in the mind of one judge.

Official Result: John Makdessi def. Ignacio Bahamondes by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

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But while he might have had a traditional beginning, that doesn’t mean that Makdessi is afraid to make changes. Despite over a decade in the UFC alone, Makdessi for his last two fight camps has mixed things up a bit.

“I’m in Phoenix, Arizona. I’ve been very happy over here, surrounded by good people and just a good connection, a good vibe,” Makdessi said. “It’s mostly at UKF [Ultimate Kombat Fitness] in collaboration with MMA Lab.”

Some of the move was designed for him to get some different looks. However, after clicking with a coach in the area, he began to feel like this was the place for him to stay.

“I got a lot of good bodies to move with, to kind of mimic my next opponent,” he said. “Also, I connected with a Mexican guy who lived in Arizona named Javier Torres. He has his own gym [UKF]. I’m just surrounded by good guys, good vibes and just trying to get to the best of my abilities.”

While it was the coaches and the skilled training partners that have kept him there, there was a different force that pulled him to the area in the first place. A fighter he looked up to, one that once was the king of the very division Makdessi fights in, lured him to the desert.

“I was always a big fan of Ben Henderson and he’s a great mentor. So I came here last year and I was happy with everything,” he said, noting he first visited prior to the Francisco Trinaldo fight. “So I’m trying to make it my second home. I love it.”

Now that he’s a little more settled in that second home, he has the task of bringing his first win home to it. Standing in front of him will be UFC newcomer Ignacio Bahamondes, a Contender Series veteran with flashy striking.

Despite the unique choice of opponent for a 17-fight UFC veteran, Makdessi isn’t thinking too much about Bahamondes or what he can do. With the experience he’s had, he figures he’s seen close to it all.

“I’m not really thinking too much about my opponent. I’m just thinking about getting mentally and physically ready for the next challenge,” Makdessi said. “I truly believe in my heart that I fought the top lightweights in the division. I fought the toughest guys and I don’t think he’s ever fought someone like me before.”

You can see Makdessi’s bout with Ignacio Bahamondes as part of the ESPN+ prelims of UFC Vegas 23 this Saturday.

Listen to the whole audio of this interview at 2:39.

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John Makdessi Interview (2:39)

One of the longest tenured UFC fighters in the land kicks off this episode of Top Turtle MMA. John Makdessi joins the show to discuss his longevity in the sport, having made his UFC debut back at UFC 124. He also discusses facing young up and comers prior to his bout with Ignacio Bahamondes – including a discussion about how more and more youngsters are having MMA as their first discipline and what that looks like to someone who has fought as long as him. Plus, he delves into his change of camp and so much more.

Combat Countdown: Next Countries to Get a UFC Champ (17:52)

A few years ago, Gumby and Shockwave broke down the countries that were more likely to get their first champ. Since then, we’ve seen Nigeria, Cameroon, and Russia all join the fold. So it seems about time to try that exercise again. 3 years from now, who are we most likely going to look back and see with a champ from their homeland? Well, let the guys give you their top 5 list (with an honorable mention or two) and see if you agree. Of course, if they missed a big one, be sure to give them hell for it on Twitter.

Hunter Azure Interview (36:51)

Finally, to end the show, Hunter Azure pops by to talk about his fight at UFC on ABC with Jack Shore. He talks about being tasked  with a highly touted prospect and why the UFC may have given him such a chance. Plus, he talks about getting back to his roots of wrestling. In his last fight, he scored more takedowns than the rest of his UFC career combined. He shares about the focus and training that went into those changes and whether or not we can expect more of the same against Shore.

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Markos (10-8-1) lost a unanimous decision against Amanda Ribas. Makdessi (17-7) dropped a unanimous decision to Francisco Trinaldo. Now, both fighters are in self-isolation.

Markos announced the news on social media, while Makdessi’s story was carried by the Canadian Press. Canada is currently requiring all returning citizens to self-isolate for 14 days to combat the spread of the virus.

What’s concerning, however, is the lack of coronavirus testing available — and the lack of access to medical treatment for two athletes recently involved in a very physical competition.

“Just made it home. Stopped by the coronavirus testing center and they wouldn’t test me,” Markos wrote on Twitter. “Long flights with a lot of people, not feeling great and I’m not a risk? Okay I guess I’ll be home for two weeks.”

Markos noted in a separate post that her trip to Brazil was cut short, with the UFC attempting to rush her home prior to a travel ban came into affect. Currently, Canada has barred all international travelers, excluding Canadian citizens, permanent residents, Americans, flight crews, diplomats, and a handful of other exceptions.

Makdessi’s case is more complicated, at least on the surface, as the Montreal-based fighter is in need of medical attention — and can’t get it.

“I’m under (self) quarantine right now — 14 days,” Makdessi was quoted as saying (transcription via the Toronto Star). “And I need to get some medical assistance (as a result of the fight). I can’t even do that.

Makdessi also noted that he can’t attend the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas due to travel restrictions (even if he could, Dana White has ordered all UFC facilities closed until at least March 31).

He described the feeling of entering the fight against Trinaldo without even knowing if the card would go ahead as “very weird.”

“Everybody was kind of like not sure about what was going on. Mentally it was a scary feeling — not knowing what was going on,” he said. “Plus with the coronavirus and then my family back home. A lot of things were going through my head.”

The UFC had a number of detractors among media and fans calling on them to cancel the UFC Brasilia event entirely, especially as fighters were not tested for coronavirus. Just as many pushed for the event to go forward, given it was the only major sporting event on the planet. Ultimately the promotion held the card behind closed doors, minus fans.

The next three cards scheduled — UFC London, UFC Columbus, and UFC Portland — have all been postponed in the face of the pandemic. UFC 249, which Dana White vows will move forward, is on the bubble meanwhile.

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Trinaldo and Makdessi threw down at center early. Trinaldo, seemingly an ageless wonder, pressed the action, attacking first and forcing Makdessi to retreat. He went to the body with a kick; Makdessi would utilize a side kick of his own, but more to keep his opponent at bay than anything. Trinaldo would let his hands go at well, swinging hard when he did pull the trigger. The Brazilian took a measured pace, however, apparently looking to conserve energy.

The second saw more action on the feet, with Trinaldo leading the way. Again, it was a conservative pace, with Trinaldo choosing when to unleash his power. Makdessi relied on his kicks, side and leg kicks to the outside. Then another leg kick. Trinaldo’s left hand was cocked, and remained a threat. Makdessi circled, but when he was landing it wasn’t having the effect he no doubt would have liked. Trinaldo hit home with an uppercut late in the frame, and finished things off with a cartwheel kick attempt.

Round three saw Makdessi in need of some action, but while he continued to throw kicks, he wasn’t able to do much damage early. Trinaldo had slowed, but was still active enough to make the round competitive. Makdessi went high with a kick that was blocked. Trinaldo nearly caught one to the body. It might have been Makdessi’s round, but in the final minute it was the Brazilian pressing the action. He popped Makdessi with an uppercut, fired a front kick, then went over the top with a punch. He attempted a takedown just before the horn; that was stuffed, but he would land an elbow at the buzzer.

The end result was likely going to be dictated by how the judges scored the second round. Although in the end, two judges gave all three rounds to Trinaldo. “All my opponents keep running away from me for some reason,” he exclaimed after the fight.

Official Result: Francisco Trinaldo def. John Makdessi by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

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