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Unfortunately, not every UFC fighter is cut out to be an elite mixed martial artist under Dana White's banner. That in itself isn't too great a problem. The entire promotion can't be fully made up of top-tier fighters. In every organization and sport, there is a hierarchy.
In the UFC, there are fighters who occupy the upper echelon. Right beneath them are the mid-tier fighters who, while serviceable, aren't skilled enough to achieve true greatness. Below the mid-tier fighters are the low-tier fighters who are unlikely to ever get ranked.
Low-tier fighters often find more success after signing with different promotions. In other cases, skilled fighters become so problematic that their relationship with the UFC sours. In such situations, they're better suited to life in different promotions. This list details five UFC fighters who are in such predicaments.
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#5. Paulo Costa, UFC middleweight
Paulo Costa is unique in that he is the only fighter on this list who is yet to decline to the point of no longer being a top contender. Regardless, things have changed for the Brazilian bruiser. After an initial undefeated run through the UFC, 'Borrachinha' has struggled.
First, he suffered an embarrassing TKO loss against Israel Adesanya. Afterward, he publicly criticized the UFC's pay structure, souring his relationship with Dana White. His next bout was another loss, this time against Marvin Vettori. The defeat was overshadowed by the Brazilian's refusal to continue cutting weight prior to it.
Instead of cutting down to the middleweight limit, he stepped inside the octagon weighing 25 lbs more. The bout turned into a light heavyweight contest. While 'Borrachinha' has since won against Luke Rockhold, he is again publicly challenging the UFC's pay structure.
Furthermore, he is refusing to face Robert Whittaker on his current contract. Given everything that has transpired, and how poor his relationship with Dana White has become, he's better suited for a career elsewhere. This is especially true now that he's gotten quite popular on social media and become a major draw. The UFC clearly won't pay him what he wants but another promotion might look at things differently.
#4. Johnny Walker, UFC light heavyweight
At one point, Johnny Walker was hailed as a future UFC champion. At six feet and six inches in height, he remains the tallest 205'er in the promotion. His reach advantage is exceeded only by Jon Jones, and his punching power is truly seismic. Furthermore, the Brazilian wildman is extremely explosive.
His initial UFC run consisted of a three-fight win streak that included three first-round knockouts. He was an exciting fighter and an entertaining personality. This convinced the promotion to push him as a title contender, thus booking him into a matchup with Corey Anderson.
What the promotion didn't seem to notice, however, were the defensive holes in the Brazilian's game. His poor durability further compounded this weakness. When he finally clashed with Corey Anderson, he lost by knockout. His next fight was a three-round defeat against Nikita Krylov, a serviceable but unremarkable foe.
While he managed to snap his two-fight losing streak by KO'ing Ryan Spann, he was also rocked in that bout. The Brazilian went on to lose twice more before securing a submission win against Ion Cuțelaba.
The creativity in his striking has since vanished, and his weak chin means he's always one solid punch away from being KO'd. Additionally, he has only won two of his last six bouts in one of the promotion's shallowest divisions. He will likely find more success in a different promotion with lesser competition.
#3. Cody Garbrandt, UFC bantamweight
The difference between Cody Garbrandt today and the version that fans were first introduced to years ago is night and day. Years ago, 'No Love' was an undefeated knockout artist who punctuated his unbeaten run by finally dethroning Dominick Cruz.
Many hoped it would be a sign of things to come and that a new generation had arrived. Unfortunately, the Team Alpha Male standout failed to mount even one successful title defense. He lost the title to former teammate T.J. Dillashaw in what was the start of a three-fight skid.
Things haven't gotten any better since then. 'No Love' has lost five of his last six bouts, with four of those losses being knockouts. His poor defensive striking doesn't combine well with his weak chin. This is even more pronounced by his instinct for brawling the moment he's hurt.
The losses he's accrued and his inability to take damage leave him in a difficult position. If he's unwilling to retire, he should consider fighting in a different promotion with lesser competition.
#2. Michelle Waterson-Gomez, UFC women's strawweight/flyweight
Michelle Waterson-Gomez is a fighter that the promotion was once hopeful could become a marketable presence. She is a flashy striker whose conventionally attractive appearance rendered her a popular social media presence. Unfortunately, her limits inside the octagon soon became apparent.
She never became the title contender that she once dreamed of becoming. She won a few fights and lost others. The reality of the situation was that 'The Karate Hottie' was too small. Her proper weight class is atomweight, which doesn't exist in the UFC. Thus, the lightest division in the promotion is still too large for her.
This is evidenced by how often her strikes fall short of landing. Since 2019, 'The Karate Hottie' has lost four of her last five fights. She turns 37 next January and won't be getting any better the older she gets. Meanwhile, the division is improving. She'd fare better at ONE FC, where the atomweight division awaits her.
#1. Darren Till, UFC middleweight
There are several things that Darren Till might need to address to improve his performances. However, the UFC is the wrong promotion for him to do those things in. While it's difficult to determine exactly what 'The Gorilla' is dealing with aside from his injuries, his lifestyle choices can't be helpful.
The Englishman has lost five of his last six bouts. The only win he's had since September 2018 came against Kelvin Gastelum, a former welterweight. He's too big to make the cut back down to 170 lbs but too small to fight as a middleweight. Even worse, four of his five losses were all finishes.
This last loss to Dricuss du Plessis bumped him all the way to #15 in the divisional rankings. This is the lowest Till has been since his initial run through the promotion. If he suffers another loss, he'll likely be knocked out of the middleweight rankings. This is unbecoming of a former title challenger.
His decline has been so sharp that he is unlikely to become a top contender again. Even Bellator might prove to be a struggle for him. The PFL is better suited for him if he intends to rebuild himself and regain his confidence.
