5 UFC fighters who could be released in 2022

#2. Ben Rothwell – UFC heavyweight

Ben Rothwell's lengthy tenure with the UFC may be about to end in 2022

Ben Rothwell, one of the most experienced fighters on the UFC roster, has not only spent over a decade competing in the octagon, but his MMA career overall dates back to 2001, meaning 2022 will mark the beginning of his third decade in the sport.

All of this begs a simple question: How much longer can ‘Big Ben’ hold onto his spot on the UFC roster? Unfortunately for the veteran, the answer may be not for much longer.

Rothwell is still capable of beating opponents in the octagon. He came out on top against Chris Barnett as recently as May and is actually 3-2 in his last five bouts with the UFC.

However, look a little deeper and things aren’t all that rosy. His wins over Ovince Saint Preux and Stefan Struve didn’t come without controversy and if his recent loss to Marcos Rogerio de Lima is anything to go by, his once-iron chin may be starting to fail him.

More to the point, UFC fans may once have considered him a must-see fighter due to his penchant for brawling, but as his career has gone on, he seems to be more likely to put on a slow-paced, plodding fight instead.

Add in the fact that ‘Big Ben’ is estimated to be earning upwards of $150k for each fight and it definitely feels like he’s the kind of fighter who may be released in 2022.

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#1. Jeremy Stephens – UFC lightweight

It may be tricky for the UFC to justify keeping Jeremy Stephens for much longer

Once considered one of the most dangerous fighters in both the UFC’s lightweight and featherweight divisions, to say that Jeremy Stephens has now fallen on hard times would be an understatement.

It seems hard to believe, but ‘Lil Heathen’ last won a bout in the UFC way back in February 2018 when he stopped Josh Emmett. Since then, he’s lost a total of five fights, with the sixth going to a no contest when he suffered an eye poke at the hands of Yair Rodriguez.

Essentially, a skid like that would usually be enough to see any fighter given their walking papers from the promotion, but it seems likely that Stephens has been kept around because he’s a favorite of UFC president Dana White and because he tends to put on exciting fights.

Whether those two facts can ensure he stays around much longer, however, is anyone’s guess.

‘Lil Heathen’ isn’t the most expensive fighter on the UFC’s roster, earning an estimated $67k per fight. However, given the promotion wants to showcase the best talent in the world, it’s hard to justify keeping a fighter on such a lengthy losing streak around.

At the age of 35, it’s unlikely that Stephens is going to improve, meaning that his slide may well continue, resulting in his release in 2022.