UFC waves goodbye to heavyweight striker after 6 years

Another week, another slew of updates with the UFC roster.

This month has seen the removal of several fighters, including 15-year veteran Brad Tavares, who may or may not re-sign with the UFC at 38-years-old.

The latest update sees the removal of a former heavyweight prospect who went winless in his last three appearances.

Heavyweight fighter Don'Tale Mayes removed from UFC roster

Per the UFC Roster Tracker on X, heavyweight mainstay Don'Tale Mayes has been removed from the roster after six years in the promotion. Formerly ranked in the heavyweight division, Mayes ended his UFC run with a record of 4-7-1.

❌ Fighter removed: Don'Tale Mayes
— UFC Roster Tracker (@RosterTracker) May 8, 2025

'Lord Kong' needed three attempts on Dana White's Contender Series to earn his place in the UFC. He debuted with an immediate loss against Ciryl Gane via heel hook. Coincidentally, Mayes lost by heel hook to Valter Walker in February. There have only been five heavyweight heel hooks in UFC history, and Mayes has been a victim of two.

5 heavyweight heel hooks in the UFC. 2 against Don'Tale Mayes. #UFCVegas102
— Mathew Riddle (@notMattRiddle) February 15, 2025

Mayes' most notable win in the Octagon was a knockout over former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski in 2023, but otherwise, he built a reputation for being one of the lesser entertaining fighters. It was also a damning indication of the state of MMA heavyweight that Mayes was ranked.

His last three fights were losses to Shamil Gaziev (Dec), Walker (Sub), and Thomas Petersen (Dec). It's also likely his UFC contract expired, and he could be entering negotiations, but with Mayes' last few performances, it seems unlikely.

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