Aleksei Oleinik has been removed from the UFC roster after completing his most recent contract with the promotion.
UFC officials confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Monday. The UFC roster watch account on Twitter first noted Oleinik’s removal from the roster.
With his contract completed, Oleinik is no longer part of the UFC roster, although the promotion could obviously re-sign him to a new deal at any time in the future.
Oleinik, 45, most recently competed at UFC Vegas 61 where he lost a unanimous decision to Ilir Latifi in a heavyweight fight on the preliminary card. That loss dropped Oleinik to 1-4 in his last five fights with his lone win coming from a rare scarf hold choke to finish Jared Vanderaa.
While he was never a serious threat in title contention at heavyweight, Oleinik always managed to put on entertaining fights while pulling off some of the most ridiculous submissions in the division.
Oleinik remains the only fighter in UFC history to use the Ezekiel choke submission to finish a fight and he actually pulled off the move on two different occasions.
Among his victories in the UFC, Oleinik earned a decision win over former heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum while finishing veteran heavyweights such as Mark Hunt and Travis Browne by submission. In fact, Oleinik currently holds the record for the second most submission victories in UFC heavyweight history.
For now, however, it appears Oleinik’s UFC run has come to an end unless the promotion opts to bring him back on a new contract.
It will be interesting to see if he calls it a career or signs with PFL.
77 pro fights. Thats just an insane number of pro MMA fights for a HW.
Made his debut in 96…26 years ago.
In his career he submitted Hunt, Crocop, Monson, Amagov, Browne etc… and 42 other fighters.
Would love to shake his hand. Incredible career. Dude can’t retire, he has five kids. He will never retire anything, too many damn kids!
Always looked at his fights as must see. He was older, but his style negated some of that.
He’s an oddity, in that he had a different choke that was cool to watch. It surprised people over and over. He’s smart enough to know what works in a fight, any fighter can learn from that.
Hope he retires somewhere non Russia where he can enjoy his life.
Sad news, but its probably time. I fuck with Alexei though. I would pay to do a seminar with that guy.
NOOOOOo I dont want to see him in PFL. Hed get murderized.
Bellator is a muuuch better fit. Have him fight CHeik Kongo or something
? What does this matter?
I liked watching oleinik fight. Its fun to watch him attempt unusual strong man type subs.
He would be great for KSW too!
He had horrible hands in his ufc fights. Who the fuck did he KO in 34 seconds. He had the slowest looping punches I’d ever seen from a two decade vet. Solid as fuck as a fighter but very underwhelming with his hands. Anyway, we’ll done sir. Nothing but respect. Dude put the Ezekiel on the map.