Brad Tavares removed from UFC roster after 15 years with promotion
05/04/2025 03:00 PM
For the first time in 15 years, Brad Tavares isn't part of the UFC's immediate plans.
The veteran middleweight, who made his octagon debut all the way back in 2010, has been removed from the UFC roster following the completion of his most recent contract.
UFC officials confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Saturday.
While it's entirely possible that Tavares could still eventually re-sign with the UFC, for now he's been removed from the roster since he's out of contract.
If he doesn't return, Tavares exits as one of the most experienced UFC veterans in recent history after he made his debut as a 5-0 prospect and now holds a 21-10 record overall.
Tavares has gone 2-2 in his past four fights, which includes wins over former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman and submission specialist Gerald Meerschaert in his latest win back in April.
The 37-year-old Hawaiian, who now calls Las Vegas home, has faced a long list of top fighters during his career including four current or former middleweight champions including Weidman, Dricus du Plessis, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.
It remains to be seen if Tavares eventually agrees to a new deal to return to the UFC or if it's possible that he ends up potentially signing with a different organization. For now, Tavares is a free agent with his UFC contract coming to an end without a new agreement in place.
Guilherme Cruz contributed to this report.
