Who is Farid Basharat? Why undefeated 16-0 MMA fighter was reportedly removed from UFC roster despite perfect 7-0 octagon run

In a shocking turn of events, undefeated MMA fighter Farid Basharat has allegedly been dropped from the UFC roster although he won all seven of his bouts in the Octagon. This 29-year-old bantamweight fighter, with a sensational 16-0 pro record, now finds himself with no UFC deal, making one wonder about the reasons for such a move. It gets even more shocking as Basharat happened to be one of the best ranked fighters in his division.

WHO IS FARID BASHARAT? INSIDE HIS UNDEFEATED MMA CAREER

Farid is a British mixed martial artist of Afghan origin, fighting in the bantamweight division. Farid, popularly know as 'Ferocious', has shown his talent in MMA by qualifying for the UFC through the Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022.

According to Sports Illustrated, Farid was able to sign a UFC deal following his win against Allan Begosso via unanimous decision. His promotional debut took place in the UFC 285 in 2023 where he beat Da'Mon Blackshear.

He continued building his impressive record with victories over several notable opponents, including Kleydson Rodrigues, Taylor Lapilus, Chris Gutierrez and Jean Matsumoto.

Interestingly, his submission victory against Rodrigues was the only finish during his seven-fight UFC run, with his other six wins coming through decisions.

Basharat's most recent appearance came at UFC 329 in July 2026, when he defeated newcomer John Garza by unanimous decision after his originally scheduled opponent, Ethyn Ewing, withdrew.

Despite remaining unbeaten and climbing into the UFC's top 10 bantamweight rankings, Basharat's future with the organization has taken an unexpected turn.

WHY WAS FARID BASHARAT REPORTEDLY REMOVED FROM THE UFC ROSTER?

According to MMA Fighting, which first reported the development on October 14, Basharat completed his UFC contract following his victory over Garza in July but was not offered a new deal.

The decision effectively makes him a free agent, allowing him to negotiate with other MMA promotions. However, the UFC could still bring him back by offering another contract in the future.

The promotion has not publicly explained why it decided against renewing his deal, leaving the exact reasoning unclear. Interestingly, Basharat isn't the only member of his family to experience a similar situation.

His older brother, Javid Basharat, was also released by the UFC earlier this year despite winning his final fight with the organization. Javid subsequently joined the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

The move comes as a shock to Farid since he had never lost any of his fights in MMA, including those seven fights he won in UFC. It will be interesting to see whether he eventually returns to the Octagon or takes his undefeated record elsewhere.