Unbeaten Farid Basharat disputes Dana White's reasons for UFC contract non-renewal

Farid Basharat has publicly challenged UFC CEO Dana White’s account of why the promotion chose not to renew his contract, denying that he ever refused a fight or caused problems with matchmakers. The bantamweight, who finished his UFC tenure with a perfect 7-0 promotional record and an overall mark of 16-0, was released following UFC Edmonton without being offered a new deal.

White had raised the possibility that difficulties with matchmakers and declined bouts played a role in certain fighters’ departures from the roster. Basharat, known as “Ferocious,” responded directly on Instagram, rejecting both suggestions and backing his claim with two specific examples.

The first involved his 2024 bout in Abu Dhabi against Victor Hugo, who weighed in at 145.5 pounds for what was originally scheduled as a bantamweight contest — 9.5 pounds above the non-title limit of 136 pounds. Basharat said he accepted the fight regardless and won. The second example dates to his Dana White’s Contender Series appearance in 2022, which he says he competed in despite suffering a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee.

“He kind of alluded to, maybe I was turning down fights, or maybe I was difficult to deal with,” Basharat said. “I definitely didn’t turn nobody down. In fact, we’re talking about the same guy that, in Abu Dhabi, I fought in 2024; my opponent missed weight by 10 pounds and I still went ahead with the fight… Still put on a good show and won. In my Contender Series fight, I had a torn MCL, still went ahead with the fight… These are facts you can ask your UFC staff; you can ask the physio team.”

Basharat’s willingness to go public with his rebuttal underscores the frustration of a fighter who leaves the world’s leading MMA promotion without a single loss on his record. Whether the UFC’s decision was driven by matchmaking friction, roster management, or other internal factors, the organisation has not offered a detailed public response beyond White’s initial comments.