The Pink Slip: Who Might Be Cut after UFC on ESPN 56?

The recently concluded UFC on ESPN 56 event in St. Louis, Missouri reinforced Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White’s conviction that the organization should put on more events on the road and move out of the Apex Facility from their Las Vegas base. The motivation was clear-cut as fans formed the focal point of the spectacle inside the Enterprise Center, cheering on for their beloved athletes. In the regard of the fighters who suited up, they were driven by the fervor of the fans, and the atmosphere made up for some pretty exciting fights. But amidst these moments of triumph, we take a look at a handful of vanquished fighters who, after suffering losses, now face the looming specter of career uncertainty.

Jake Hadley

Charles Johnson gave the hometown fans substantial grounds for cheering as he took home a unanimous decision win against Hadley. The English fighter was the aggressor when the bout commenced, dictating the pace of the fight while Johnson took a while to get in the groove. Johnson picked up the pace and boosted the offense subsequently, managing to briefly put Hadley down with a right hand and kept the same intensity in the third round. When the tens and nines were tallied, it was Johnson who walked away as the victor with unanimous decision scores of 29-28.

This is Hadley’s third loss in five Octagon assignments. Indubitably, “White Kong” finds himself grasping at straws concerning his position in the UFC flyweight roster. However, at just 27 years of age, it is unlikely that he will be immediately cut without a fair chance to fight for his spot.

Viacheslav Borshchev

Borshchev’s setbacks are accruing and his career hold weakening with only one win in five fights. His opponent at UFC on ESPN 56, Chase Hooper, was adamant on taking the fight to the canvas. But his wish was fulfilled courtesy of a left hand that dropped Borshchev rather than a takedown. Hooper went on a relentless submission chase firing off a series of attempts as “Slava” defended them well. In the second round, Hopper quickly secured a takedown and got into the mount position. He dropped some raining shots before sneaking in a D’Arce choke that sealed the deal at the 3:00 mark of the second stanza.

Of all the fighters featured on the showcase, Borshchev’s case is the strongest towards being released from the organization. With an overall 7-4 record its evident that he’s walking on eggshells.