UFC releases former middleweight contender Francis Carmont
Georges St-Pierre's close friend was handed his walking papers this week.
The UFC released Francis Carmont, a former middleweight contender and teammate of St-Pierre, after a string of three straight losses, the Frenchman wrote on his Twitter on Wednesday. UFC officials confirmed the cut.
Carmont (22-10) won his first six fights in the UFC and looked like a fearsome member of the 185-pound division with his chiseled physique, athleticism and high fight IQ, stemming from his time at Tristar Gym in Montreal. But consecutive losses to Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, C.B. Dollaway and Thales Leites have put him out of the organization altogether.
Carmont, 32, also had controversial decision wins against Tom Lawlor and Lorenz Larkin during his hot streak, but was still firmly entrenched in the UFC's official middleweight contender rankings.
In his most recent outing, Carmont fell to Leites by knockout in the second round at UFC Fight Night on FOX Sports 1: Henderson vs. dos Anjos in Tulsa. He was still ranked No. 15 at 185 pounds as of this week by media voters.
The Paris native has been fighting as a professional since 2004 before finally making his UFC debut in 2011. St-Pierre was a staple in his corner for bouts, even after the former UFC welterweight champion vacated his title and stepped away from the UFC last December.
