After his third straight setback in the promotion, the UFC has parted ways with Dustin Hazelett. Sources close to Hazelett's camp confirmed his release to MMA Fighting. MMA Weekly reported the news Tuesday night. The pink slip comes after Hazelett was submitted by Mark Bocek in the first round at UFC 124 earlier this month in Montreal.
Hazelett is in the middle of a rough patch after his return following more than a year off for knee surgery. The popular "McLovin" started his UFC career 5-2, bouncing between lightweight and welterweight. He returned from surgery to a knockout from Paul Daley at UFC 108 in January. At UFC 117 in August, Rick Story stopped him with strikes in the second round, giving Hazelett the first losing streak of his career.
And the latest loss to Bocek, in Bocek's home country of Canada, was the last straw. That fight marked Hazelett's return to lightweight.
In his 10 fights with the UFC, Hazelett (12-7, 5-5 UFC) won three post-fight bonus awards, including two in one night for his armbar win over Josh Burkman at the TUF 7 Finale. That stoppage got him a pair of $20,000 bonuses – one for Submission of the Night, one for Fight of the Night. Four of his five UFC wins were submissions.
Hazelett is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Jorge Gurgel, who works regularly with him and former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin in Ohio.
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