Jose Torres is no longer a UFC fighter and there are apparently more cuts on the way.
“Shorty” announced the news Wednesday on his Twitter account, saying that he was no longer with the UFC and he’s one of the first releases en route to the UFC disbanding the entire flyweight division. The whispers of such an action have been heard for months, which only intensified when the UFC traded former 125-pound champion Demetrious Johnson to ONE Championship last month.
Combate and FloCombat have reported that many of the current flyweight crop will not move up to bantamweight, but be cut by the UFC. Torres said in his video that the reports are correct.
Im the 1st to be let go. I didnt get to finish my UFC contract with 2 fights left because they are cutting most of my division n not giving some of us a chance to bump up n prove ourselves like myself. So now it’s time to move on to bigger and better things. Good luck small guys! pic.twitter.com/lUMijsRoDm
— Jose Shorty Torres (@ShortyTorres125) November 7, 2018
“The flyweight division is going,” Torres said. “I did kind of call it. Sadly, because I called it and because I was publicly talking about it first, it probably was because of that [I was] first on the chopping block. So sadly, I am not a UFC fighter anymore, I am a free agent. You know, it’s part of the sport. This stuff happens. Again, sadly we didn’t pick up enough fanbase for the UFC. I appreciate every opportunity I was given.
“Sadly again, 29 days, two fights, 54 pounds to prepare for my last two opponents. Given my last fight wasn’t the best and I won my first one by a ‘lucky knockout,’ I was on the chop block because of it. So, who wants to sign me? I’m looking for a fight.”
To his fellow flyweight peers, he said: “Keep doing your thing, head up and see where the world takes you from there. We’ve gotta put on a show.”
Torres, 26, lost to Alex Perez by first-round TKO at UFC 227 in August. He debuted in the UFC with a second-round TKO over Jarred Brooks back in June. Torres (8-1), a Chicago area native, is the former Titan FC flyweight and bantamweight champion.
Brooks also announced Wednesday that he was released.
“I’m surprised that they let this happen,” Brooks said.
— Jarred Brooks (@The_monkeygod) November 7, 2018