UFC Cuts Ali Bagautinov and Zach Makovsky

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By Mookie Alexander

Flyweight veterans Ali Bagautinov and Zach Makovsky are no longer on the UFC roster. MMAjunkie confirmed the news with UFC officials on Thursday, with the report noting that both men were “not being considered for new deals.” Bagautinov had been the #7 ranked flyweight, while Makovsky was #12.

Bagautinov (14-5) is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC Belfast in November. That fight marked his third defeat in his last four fights, one of which was a one-sided decision vs. reigning champion Demetrious Johnson. Bagautinov would later test positive for EPO after the Mighty Mouse bout, and he was suspended for one year. Upon his return, he lost to Joseph Benavidez at UFC 192, before beating Geane Herrera at UFC Ottawa last June. Bagautinov’s first three bouts inside the Octagon were triumphs vs. Marcos Vinicius, Tim Elliott, and John Lineker.

Makovsky (19-8) dropped a unanimous decision to Dustin Ortiz at last month’s UFC 206 in Toronto. “Fun Size” is on a three-fight losing skid, although he was perhaps unlucky not to get the nod over John Dodson at UFC 187. His other defeat was to Joseph Benavidez. Makovsky started his UFC career with wins over Scott Jorgensen and Josh Sampo, before losing to Jussier Formiga in August 2014. Zach’s last win came against Tim Elliott in February 2015.

The rankings have since been reshuffled, as Dustin Ortiz moved up from 9th to 7th, while Louis Smolka and Tim Elliott were bumped to 12th and 13th, respectively. Ben Nguyen and Geane Herrera have been promoted to the top 15, with Nguyen in 14th and Herrera in 15th.

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Who needs ranked fighters anyway, right?  I mean, what's better for providing legitimacy to your promotion as the best in the world, having the best of the best fight in your organization or just sign people for their looks like Sage "No Talent" Northcutt?

*sigh*

Thoughts?

No need for top ten guys,gotta make room on the roster for guys that get their ass kicked on TUF.Stupid cuts,but what are you gonna do =/ I can see Scott getting cut with the 3 losses in a row,but level of competition should be considered,so I don't agree.Ali is coming off 1 loss,also fighting the top guys in the division.People complain that the 125 division is light,I have thought it was pretty good just one guy dominating,but this is a hit to the depth of the division,thanks UFC, ya momo's.

Yes, because if any division needed to be leaned out, it's flyweight. 

ho my good wath a stupid cut!

How about cutting a few of the 126 welterweights instead?

Sometimes they're cuts make no sense. I'm really surprised with Bagautinov and i thought fun size would get maybe one more fight. This division really does suck there's only 2 choices now for mighty mouse diced or stewed lol

I can understand Zach getting cut at he is 3-4 in the UFC. Though Ali is less understandable as he is 4-3 and his three losses are to the absolute elite of the division. Ali did have that whole PED suspension though.

@bigj

Regardless of records or PEDs or whatever, Makovsky and Bagautinov are top 15 flyweights that are desperately needed on the roster as the UFC's flyweight division is paper ******* thin.  Add on the fact that they barely added only FOUR new flyweights post TUF 24 in Pantoja, Shelton, Moreno, and Elliot (and Elliot is going up to Bantamweight due to struggles with the weight cut to 125), the division is in need of as much talent as they can get their hands on; especially elite Flyweights like Bagautinov and Makovsky.

And the record argument goes out the ******* window when you realize they have a fighter in Artem Lobov, who has a record barely above 500, and CM Punk still on the roster.

UFC rankings aren't gospel they are rather arbitrary and some fighters hang on to rank a lot longer than they should because they have some name recognition. Zach is top 15 but can you really say why. Ian McCall is still ranked number 6 yet hasn't won a fight in 2 & 1/2 years, rankings are often a reflection of the MMA medias failure to recognize up and coming talent and more a reflection of their preconceived notions and habits.

I'm all for thinning out the WW and LW divisions as well. We realistically have probably reached a point to split the 170 division into 165 and 175 lbs. Guys like Masvidal, Cerrone, Nate Diaz, and others would be perfect for 165. And guys like Gastelum and Hendricks might actually be able to make 175.

@bigj

Well it's kind of hard for the media to keep up with all the up and coming talent in flyweight when the UFC barely sign any of it.  It took them YEARS to sign Pantoja, a guy that should have been in the UFC a long ******* time ago.  Meanwhile they have passed up on guys like Akhmetov, Ogikubo, Motoya, Bibulatov, Azevedo, Antolin, Menga, Wada, Saadeh, and Candido.  All of which are UFC caliber Flyweights that should be on the roster.


Edit: But hey, if the UFC wants to shoot themselves in the foot and lean out 125 and have all their talent go to a competitor like RIZIN, I'm all good with that.  Gives me even more of a reason to watch them over the UFC.

* Edited at 01.28.2017, 12:15 AM ET *

They werent cut. Fought out contracts and weren't extended

Yeah, FLW has missed some oppurtunities.

The UFC doesn't seem too good at handling their shallow divisions. Those are the ones you should make exceptions to keep fighters, especially ranked ones. I honestly think they need more scouts/match makers. One for 265, 205, 185, and 170. One for 155, 145, 135, and 125. Then one for the women's divisions. The UFC just doesn't handle some divisions like thy should, then when they start working on one or two, a different one starts to slip. Then with the addition of women's 145, I have a feeling that one will make men's Flyweight look stacked for a good while.

* Edited at 01.28.2017, 10:15 PM ET *

Spread too thin despite having over 40 events a year.

Making the women's FW division was just ******* stupid.Making a FlyWeight division would have been good.