The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has parted ways with Bryan Battle, the middleweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 29, following a series of issues making weight. The release, confirmed by UFC officials on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, came just days after Battle’s scheduled bout at UFC 319 was canceled due to him missing the middleweight limit by a significant margin.
The final incident occurred during the weigh-ins for UFC 319, where Battle was slated to face Nursulton Ruziboev. Despite moving up a division for the contest, Battle tipped the scales at 190 pounds, a full four pounds over the 186-pound limit for a non-title middleweight fight. The matchup was initially expected to proceed at a catchweight, but was later scrapped from the card entirely, marking the end of Battle’s tenure with the promotion.
This was the third time Battle had missed weight during his UFC career and the second consecutive occurrence. In his previous fight at UFC 310 in December 2024, he weighed in at 175 pounds for a welterweight bout against Randy Brown, four pounds over the divisional limit. The fight went on as a catchweight contest, with Battle forfeiting 30 percent of his purse to Brown. Despite the scale issues, Battle secured a split decision victory, extending his unbeaten streak.
Prior to that, in May 2023, Battle came in at 173 pounds for a welterweight fight against Gabriel Green, two pounds over the limit. He won that fight via a stunning 14-second knockout and, despite the weight miss, was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus. These repeated struggles on the scale ultimately proved untenable for the organization.
Before the UFC 319 booking, Battle acknowledged the difficulty his previous weight miss had created. “Circumstances aside, didn’t make weight for the last one. It was kind of hard getting another fight,” Battle told MMA Fighting. He accepted the middleweight fight against Ruziboev readily but still hoped for a future at 170 pounds. “I would love to go back down to welterweight at some point. Just because I feel like the story’s not finished down there.”
Known as “The Butcher,” Battle entered the UFC by winning the 29th season of The Ultimate Fighter in August 2021, submitting Gilbert Urbina to claim the title. He compiled an impressive record within the promotion, leaving with a UFC ledger of 7-1 with one no contest. His overall professional mixed martial arts record stands at 12-2 with one no contest. Throughout his UFC run, he earned three Performance of the Night bonuses, showcasing his finishing abilities with notable knockouts over Takashi Sato and Gabriel Green, and a submission win against A.J. Fletcher.
Despite being on a three-fight winning streak and a four-fight unbeaten run, the persistent inability to reliably make weight led to his release. The departure highlights the UFC’s stringent stance on professionalism and contract obligations, even for a talented and successful fighter who emerged from its own developmental reality show.
