Released despite a 5-1 UFC record, Daniel Marcos signs with PFL and faces Magomedov in Tampa debut

Daniel Marcos is stepping into the PFL cage on Saturday against Magomed Magomedov in Tampa, just weeks after being quietly released by the UFC despite compiling a 5-1 record inside the promotion — a departure the 33-year-old Peruvian says he still cannot explain.

Marcos went 5-1 in the UFC, with his only loss coming via decision to Montel Jackson in May 2025. His most recent outing was a win over Miles Johns in November, yet no contract renewal followed. Six months later, in late May, he was informed he was being let go — news that broke publicly on May 29.

“More than anything, I was surprised,” Marcos told MMA Fighting. “I asked myself, ‘Why? Why did this happen?’ I had only lost once in my entire career, so I didn’t understand what was going on. As I said, I can’t control what other people decide to do, but I’m still grateful to the UFC for giving me the opportunity and for helping showcase me to the world. But even now, if someone asks me what happened, I don’t have an answer. I honestly don’t know what happened.”

The timing compounded the frustration. Marcos had been training since January in anticipation of a new UFC booking that never materialised, leaving him in limbo for months before the formal release arrived.

“It has been very difficult,” he said. “It’s hard to learn that you’re no longer going to be part of a company. But after everything, I feel much calmer now because I trust God a lot, and I know that what’s coming next will be very good. I still have that desire to prove more of what I’m capable of.”

The PFL moved quickly. The promotion contacted Marcos’s management team the day after his release became public, offering a multi-fight deal. A Russian-based MMA promotion also expressed interest, but PFL secured his signature first.

“The opportunity with the PFL came as soon as I was told there would be no contract renewal with the UFC,” Marcos said. “It all happened very fast. I’m happy to be part of a new organization like the PFL, which opened its doors to me. My focus immediately turned to the PFL because they came knocking right away. I said to myself, ‘I’m not going to waste an opportunity that’s being presented to me.’”

Standing across from him on Saturday is Magomed Magomedov, who most recently earned a decision win over Leandro Higo to rebound from a knockout loss to Sergio Pettis. For Marcos, now 18-1 overall, the bout represents the first step in proving his UFC run understated what he is capable of.