After over 14 years with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, longtime staple
Jeremy
Stephens is moving on.
The news first broke on Thursday from
MMA Fighting that Stephens (28-19, 1 NC) had concluded his
latest UFC contract and has chosen not to re-sign with the
promotion. Confirmed shortly thereafter by
multiple outlets, his contract came to an end following his
meeting with Mateusz
Gamrot in July 2021, where he fell short by first-round kimura.
Stephens is winless in his last six appearances dating back to
2018, with five defeats and a no contest from an eye poke in the
midst of his skid.
Stephens will be leaving the UFC after 34 trips to the Octagon,
where he currently holds the spot for the fourth-most fights in
company history. “Lil Heathen” had his hand raised 15 times over
the years, shifting back and forth from lightweight to
featherweight and back. Notable victories include finishes of
Rafael dos
Anjos and Josh Emmett,
as well as decision verdicts over the likes of Renan Barao
and Darren
Elkins. The Iowa native pocketed 10 post-fight bonus checks in
his UFC tenure, where he is tied for the 10th most under its banner
with several other fighters including Max
Holloway, Conor
McGregor and Justin
Gaethje. His 18 knockdowns keep him tied with Anderson
Silva for the second-most in UFC history.
The UFC career of Stephens has not always been a positive one, as
he does hold the record for the most defeats of any fighter to step
in the UFC cage (18). “Lil Heathen” was never able to string
together a win streak of more than three in a row in his 14-year
UFC career, although marquee wins over notable names and thrilling
performances even in defeat allowed him to remain in the rankings
for many years. The 35-year-old has not yet signed with another
promotion, although many options are available should he want to
keep competing.