Despite a 7-1 UFC record and a win in Abu Dhabi, heavyweight Martin Buday has been released from the roster as the division enters a new era.
UFC Heavyweight Released Despite Nearly Flawless Octagon Run originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Abu Dhabi card delivered action, but one heavyweight’s win wasn’t enough to save his spot
UFC Abu Dhabi delivered its share of thrills, especially in the main event where Reinier de Ridder defeated former champion Robert Whittaker in a high-stakes clash. While the spotlight belonged to the headliners, a surprising roster shake-up took place just beneath the surface. One victorious heavyweight may have just competed in his final UFC bout—despite adding another win to his résumé.
Promising UFC heavyweight Martin Buday, 33, picked up a solid unanimous decision win over Marcus Buchecha on the undercard.
But according to MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, that performance wasn’t enough to secure his place on the roster. ‘The UFC has parted ways with Martin Buday following Buday’s UFC Abu Dhabi win over Marcus Buchecha,’ Heck reported. ‘Buday fought out his deal, and the UFC elected not to re-sign the ranked heavyweight.’ The news, also confirmed by @guicruzzz, came as a shock given Buday’s recent form.
The UFC has parted ways with Martin Buday following Buday's UFC Abu Dhabi win over Marcus Buchecha, multiple sources tell @guicruzzz and I. Buday fought out his deal, and the UFC elected not to re-sign the ranked heavyweight. More coming to @MMAFighting.
— Mike Heck (@MikeHeck_JR) July 31, 2025
The Slovak heavyweight walks away from the promotion with a 7-1 record, including a win over former champion Andrei Arlovski. He was riding a three-fight win streak and had just begun to find his rhythm in the division. Still, the UFC opted not to bring him back—possibly clearing space amid a reshuffling of the division.
With Dana White and the UFC kickstarting the heavyweight division once again—especially with Tom Aspinall returning at UFC 321 in October—and the retirement of Jon Jones, the promotion appears set on stacking fresh talent to mix things up. And while Buday was never quite a contender, the timing of his release—despite a nearly flawless UFC record—adds a curious footnote to an evolving weight class.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
