Latest news with #KronGracie
Forbes
4 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Cuts Hard-Luck Veteran Mired In Nasty Losing Streak
LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 24: Dana White speaks with the press following the event for Power Slap 2 - ... More Wolverine vs Bell on May 24, 2023, at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) The UFC's roster recycling is still in full effect. Most recently the promotion has parted ways with several featherweight fighters ahead of a major pay-per-view card, including one prospect who never found his footing inside the Octagon. Connor Matthews, a once-promising talent from Massachusetts who entered the UFC with high hopes and resilience after a failed attempt on the Dana White Contender Series, has been released after a trio of tough outings. His removal from the roster came the same day as the releases of Kron Gracie and Hakeem Dawodu from the roster–all were once featherweight hopefuls. ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY - MARCH 27: Connor Matthews poses for a portrait during a UFC photo ... More session on March 27, 2024 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Matthews' UFC journey was a brief and an unforgiving one. Matthews' first attempt to join the UFC roster was a failure as he was defeated by Francis Marshall in 2022. Matthews went back to the indy scene and scored a first-round submission win to earn another shot at the UFC. In his second shot on DWCS, Matthews earned a contract with a unanimous decision win over Jair Farias in 2023. Matthews entered the promotion with a 7-1 record and a reputation for finishing fights, but he failed to notch a single win as a member of the UFC's main roster. What's worse, all three of his losses came in the first round—two by knockout and one by submission. Matthew's final appearance, a tap-out loss to Yadier Del Valle on May 17, sealed his fate with the organization. Despite his fan-friendly style and resilience, Matthews became another example of how tough the UFC featherweight division can be on newcomers. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: Kron Gracie of Brazil looks on prior to a featherweight fight ... More during UFC 310 at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by) As I mentioned, Matthews wasn't the only name trimmed from the roster. Gracie, the nephew of UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie, was also released following a dismal stretch that saw him lose three consecutive fights. Known for his grappling pedigree, Gracie never evolved beyond his jiu-jitsu roots and was knocked out by Bryce Mitchell in his most recent bout. ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - SEPTEMBER 27: (L-R) Hakeem Dawodu of Canada faces Zubaira ... More Tukhugov of Russia in their featherweight bout during UFC 253 inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on September 27, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC) Dawodu, meanwhile, had a longer run with the promotion but couldn't overcome a tough final chapter. After missing weight in a 2022 loss to Julian Erosa and pulling out of a scheduled fight in 2023, he returned to drop a decision to Cub Swanson last August. That marked his third loss in four appearances, and ultimately, his UFC run came to an end this week as well. The timing of these cuts precedes one of the year's most anticipated events. UFC 316 takes place Saturday, June 7, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Headlining the card is a bantamweight title clash between current champion Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley in a long-awaited rematch. In the co-main event, Julianna Peña puts her women's bantamweight crown on the line against Olympic gold medalist and PFL crossover star Kayla Harrison. Other matchups include Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer, Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix (who is making his UFC debut following his time as Bellator bantamweight champion), and a welterweight showdown between Vicente Luque and Kevin Holland. Here is a look at the entire card.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Cuts Ties With Royce Gracie's Nephew, Kron Gracie
Let's face it. It's tough being the grand son of a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu pioneer and the nephew of a UFC legend. Those are tough shoes to fill if you're attempting to establish a career in combat sports. Kron Gracie has found that out firsthand. On Thursday, per Full Contact MTWF on X, Gracie was one of three fighters removed from the UFC's active roster. Quite honestly, the move from Dana White and Co. should come as no surprise. The 36-year-old whose grandfather is Hélio Gracie and whose uncle is Royce Gracie trains with Nate and Nick Diaz had an esteemed run as a BJJ practitioner, but his MMA career–at least in the UFC–has been less than stellar. Gracie's release comes on the heels of his third straight loss in the Octagon. The last defeat was a brutal TKO stoppage at the hands of Bryce Mitchell in December 2024 at UFC 310. Gracie hadn't just lost three fights in a row in the UFC, he's also been inactive. He fought once in December 2024. Before that, he fought in May 2023, and prior to that fight he was last in the Octagon in October 2019 when he lost a Fight-of-the-Night performance against Cub Swanson. Gracie's lone win in the UFC's Octagon in four fights came in his promotional debut. In February 2019, Gracie scored a first-round submission victory over Alex Caceres. At the time, it appeared the UFC could potentially have a contender on their hands in the featherweight division. Unfortunately, he fought just three times over the next five years and never won another fight with the promotion. While he hasn't announced his retirement from MMA, Gracie is on the wrong side of 35, and he has a modest 5-3 record in the sport. There's no doubt he can likely compete in BJJ tournaments and even train fighters in the martial art his family made a mainstream system in combat sports. But his chances of becoming a legitimate contender for a title on a higher level of MMA are done. The other two fighters the UFC separated from on Thursday were Hakeem Dawodu and Connor Matthews. UFC 316 takes place on Sunday with Merab Dvalishvili defending his title against Sean O'Malley in a rematch of their first battle in September 2024. Here is a look at the complete card. The last defeat was a brutal TKO stoppage at the hands of Bryce Mitchell in December 2024 at UFC 310.
