Roman Bogatov’s stint in the UFC is over after only one fight.
The Russian was released from his contract following a loss to Leonardo Santos at UFC 251 in July. Promotion officials confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Monday following an initial TASS report in Russia.
Bogatov’s short career with the UFC came to an end after he was engaged in one of the fiercest fights in recent memory.
He became cautious after tagging a few illegal knickers Santos under the belt. A third illegal hit hit Santos in the head, and at that point referee Marc Goddard issued a rare two-point lead.
Bogatov eventually lost the battle by unanimous decision after three rounds.
Prior to his UFC debut, Bogatov had compiled a 10-0 record, including a run as the M-1 lightweight champion. He is the last athlete to be released by the UFC following news that both Ray Borg and Eric Spicely had also terminated their contracts.
Despite the repeated fouls, Santos managed to keep his sense of humor intact. He mentioned an earlier career fight, where he took several illegal shots before winning and quipped, “If it hurts my body, I’m winning the fight.”
