Just days after one of the most chaotic UFC cards in recent memory, Dana White has pulled the trigger on two roster cuts — and one of them came off a win.
The fallout from UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi has been swift. The event, headlined by Tom Aspinall’s anticlimactic heavyweight title defence against Ciryl Gane, ended in farce after an accidental eye poke forced a no-contest just four minutes into the main event. Fans had already been frustrated by a string of decisions earlier on the card, and the atmosphere soured even further as Aspinall was rushed to hospital with an eye injury.
Now, UFC president White has taken action — with heavyweight Hamdy Abdelwahab and flyweight Azat Maksum both cut from the promotion, according to roster tracker Roster.Watch, via Give Me Sport.
It’s a brutal move that sends a clear message to the roster after what many fans have called one of the least memorable main cards of the year.
Before the title fight collapse, the card had already suffered through six decision-heavy prelim bouts and a trio of sluggish main-card contests that struggled to ignite the Abu Dhabi crowd. And while the co-main event at least crowned a new champion — with Mackenzie Dern winning the vacant women’s strawweight belt — the rest of the night offered little for Dana White to smile about.
Abdelwahab’s Win Can’t Save Him
The biggest surprise in the UFC’s post-321 purge is Hamdy Abdelwahab. The Egyptian heavyweight dominated Chris Barnett to secure a one-sided victory, but it wasn’t enough to earn him a new deal. The bout was the last fight on his four-fight contract, and despite the win, the UFC boss apparently wasn’t impressed.
Abdelwahab’s UFC career has been anything but smooth. His debut victory over Don’Tale Mayes was overturned following a failed drug test, earning him a two-year suspension from USADA. When he finally returned, he picked up a decision win over Jamal Pogues and dropped another to Mohammed Usman before edging past Barnett in what even White reportedly viewed as a lacklustre fight.
During the bout, Abdelwahab was docked a point for illegal strikes — a detail that likely didn’t help his case.
It’s a harsh ending for the 31-year-old, who finishes his short UFC run with a record of two wins, one loss, and one no-contest.
The decision also leaves lightweight prospect Valter Walker searching for a new opponent after calling Abdelwahab out in his post-fight interview following an impressive heel hook victory later that same night.
If Abdelwahab’s release was a shock, Azat Maksum’s exit was far less surprising. The Kazakh flyweight missed weight at UFC 321 and then dropped a decision loss to Mitch Raposo — his third straight defeat since joining the promotion in February 2024.
Despite entering the fight as a heavy favourite, Maksum looked flat throughout, and his latest performance cemented his UFC record at 0-3. One X user even went as far as describing the bout as the “death of entertainment”. Meanwhile, others have praised the fighter’s work outside of the UFC.
The miss on the scales and his inability to make an impression in a crowded flyweight division reportedly sealed his fate.
A Rough Night For Many
UFC 321 was supposed to be a showcase — a heavyweight revival after months of uncertainty surrounding Jon Jones and the top contenders. Instead, it was a night the company will want to forget.
The highly anticipated main event between Aspinall and Gane ended in confusion after Gane’s fingers accidentally raked both of the champion’s eyes, leaving Aspinall unable to see and forcing referee Jason Herzog to wave off the fight.
The rest of the card didn’t do much to lift the mood. Alexander Volkov’s split-decision win over Jailton Almeida failed to excite, and fans at the Etihad Arena voiced their disappointment loudly.
By Monday morning, the UFC’s response was swift — two fighters gone and a message sent to the locker room: performances matter, excitement matters, and even a win won’t always save your job.
As Yahoo Sports reporter Andrew Richardson bluntly put it: “UFC 321 was trash … and the matchmakers took notice.” Yeesh.
Abdelwahab and Maksum may not have been headliners, but their cuts underline just how unforgiving the sport can be. For Dana White, it was business as usual — and for fighters across the roster, a reminder that every fight could be their last.
Featured image credit: X/UFC/TNTSports (Screenshot)
