Former UFC headliner & TUF finalist included in latest round of UFC roster cuts

Three out of these four fighters were in action over the last few weeks.

(Zuffa LLC)

Four fighters have been removed from the official UFC roster as the promotion moves into its final stretch of events to close out 2025.

The UFC is currently in the midst of a nine-week stretch of consecutive cards that began with UFC Perth on September 27 and will close out with the promotion’s first visit to Doha, Qatar for a UFC Fight Night event on November 22.

According to Tom Feely, Irina Alekseeva, Andre Muniz, Justin Tafa, and Brogan Walker have all been removed from the UFC roster following the conclusion of last Saturday’s UFC Rio.

Irina Alekseeva Lost At UFC Rio, Justin Tafa Withdrew From Back-To-Back Fights

The only fighter of the four that actually competed in Rio de Janeiro on October 11, Alekseeva welcomed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu star Bia Mesquita to the Octagon and was submitted in the second round.

Irina Alekseeva during her fight with Bia Mesquita. | (Zuffa LLC)

“Russian Ronda” submitted Stephanie Egger in her promotional debut in 2023 but unfortunately missed weight for that matchup, and Alekseeva exits the UFC on a three-fight skid after she also dropped decisions to Melissa Mullins and Klaudia Sygula before losing to Mesquita.

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The older brother of former UFC heavyweight and current light heavyweight Junior Tafa, Justin Tafa hasn’t competed since February when he was stopped by Tallison Teixeira in just 35 seconds at UFC 312.

Justin Tafa has his eye looked at after it was injured in a heavyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event Saturday, June 24, 2023 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

“Bad Man” withdrew from a UFC 317 matchup with Jhonata Diniz before he also pulled out of a UFC Perth booking with Louie Sutherland during fight week, and the 31-year-old went 4-5 overall in the UFC with one No Contest after joining the promotion with an undefeated MMA record in 2019.

Brogan Walker & Andre Muniz Exit UFC After Losses At UFC 320

In between UFC Perth and UFC Rio, combat sports fans saw Walker and Muniz in action during a UFC 320 card that closed out with Alex Pereira’s first-round finish of Magomed Ankalaev to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight belt.

Veronica Hardy (red gloves) fights Brogan Walker (blue gloves) during UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

A competitor on Season 30 of The Ultimate Fighter, Walker was stopped by Julianna Miller in the show’s flyweight finals and also fell to Iasmin Lucindo in her second UFC outing in 2023. Following a layoff of more than two years, “The Bear” returned at UFC 320 and lost a decision to Veronica Hardy.

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Muniz also leaves the UFC after a 10-fight run that saw him go 6-4 after joining the promotion off of his second Dana White’s Contender Series opportunity in 2019.

Edmen Shahbazyan (red gloves) fights Andre Muniz (blue gloves) during UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The formerly top-ranked middleweight famously broke Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza’s arm as part of a five-fight win streak to begin his UFC career. That was followed by a 1-4 run that began with a loss to Brendan Allen in a UFC Fight Night main event in 2023, and the Brazilian was also finished in all four losses during that stretch.

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