It`s not a common occurrence to see a fighter released by the UFC immediately after securing a victory. While earning a spot in the premier mixed martial arts promotion is tough, maintaining a position on the roster presents its own set of challenges.
The UFC recently made several roster changes, letting go of fighters like Kron Gracie, Hakeem Dawodu, and two-time `The Ultimate Fighter` winner Brad Katona, to make room for new signings, including former world champions and contenders from Dana White’s Contender Series. Typically, fighters are released after a series of losses, but this wasn`t the case for one particular veteran who had been with the promotion since 2017.
Montana De La Rosa Confirms UFC Departure, Seeks New Promotion
In March, flyweight fighter Montana De La Rosa of Texas had her scheduled bout at UFC Vegas 103 cancelled when her opponent, Luana Carolina, failed to make weight by a significant margin – 10 pounds. Despite the fight cancellation being entirely outside of her control and having one fight remaining on her contract, De La Rosa was released by the UFC just weeks later.
The veteran of 12 UFC fights had most recently secured a split decision win against Andrea Lee in June 2024. Although her time in the UFC has ended, the 30-year-old De La Rosa is not planning to retire from competition soon.
“As you may know I wasn’t able to fight my last fight in the UFC as my opponent missed weight by 10 pounds,” De La Rosa stated on Instagram. “I was more ready than ever and was excited to put on a show. After that the UFC released me after fighting for the promotion since 2017, starting on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and earning a contract.”
She added, “I went 3-0 starting off in the UFC and after that I had multiple wars with ranked opponents, even winning a 50k bonus. My very last fight I even won. I’m posting this in hopes for a promotion to see this and hopefully get a fight with another promotion so I can continue fighting and pursuing my dream, I continue to train every day and would love to put on a show for everyone.”
Montana De La Rosa`s UFC Record and Key Fights
Montana De La Rosa concludes her UFC tenure with a positive professional record within the organization. She amassed a record of 6 wins, 5 losses, and 1 draw in the Octagon after signing with the promotion in 2017. Her journey began on season 26 of `The Ultimate Fighter,` a season dedicated to crowning the first UFC flyweight champion, where 16 female fighters competed.
During her run on the reality show, De La Rosa submitted Ariel Beck in her initial bout before being defeated by the eventual first champion, Nicco Montano. Upon officially joining the UFC roster, she started strong with three consecutive victories over Christina Marks, Rachael Ostovich, and Nadia Kassem. Throughout her career, she faced several top contenders, including Tatiana Suarez and Maycee Barber, and fought to a majority draw with former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva in 2021.
De La Rosa successfully ended a three-fight losing streak in the summer of 2023 (Note: Original text says 2024 for Andrea Lee fight, confirming it was her last fight as stated earlier. The losing streak ending refers to a win *before* the Lee fight in 2024. Rephrased for clarity) when she secured a win against Andrea Lee at UFC Louisville, a fighter she had previously lost to.
In 2018, Montana De La Rosa and her husband, Mark, made history as the first married couple to both compete in the UFC. They even shared a fight card in 2020.
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