George Sotiropoulos, Alessio Sakara, Rosi Sexton released by UFC
Three veteran fighters in the midst of losing skids have been released by the UFC.
George Sotiropoulos, Alessio Sakara and Rosi Sexton will be looking for their next fights outside the promotion after being let go. The news was announced on Twitter by FOX Sports 1’s “UFC Tonight,†the promotion’s official weekly newsmagazine show.
Sotiropoulos is mired in a four-fight losing skid and hasn’t won a fight in more than three years. The Australian appeared on Season 6 of “The Ultimate Fighter†and reached the semifinals. At the TUF 6 Finale, he started what would be seven straight wins to open his UFC career. The first two came at welterweight before he dropped down to 155 pounds. And his wins there included submissions of George Roop and Joe Lauzon – and two “Fight of the Night†bonuses.
But at UFC 127 in his home country of Australia, he was upset by Dennis Siver. He followed that up with a knockout loss to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 132 in less than a minute. Injuries kept him sidelined for a year, but then he was announced as a coach opposite Ross Pearson for the international edition of “TUF†between Australia and the United Kingdom.
After coaching on that show and building to a heated rivalry with Pearson, he was knocked out by the Brit in the third round a year ago. After another lengthy period of time off, he came back after 10 months, but dropped a unanimous decision to K.J. Noons in October at UFC 166 for his fourth straight setback.
Sakara has four losses in a row, as well. The Italian debuted in the promotion at UFC 55 more than eight years ago, making him one of the UFC’s most veteran fighters.
It’s been an up and down ride for “Legionarius.†Between 2008 and 2010, he won four of five fights with three stoppages and a “Knockout of the Night†bonus. But after winning three in a row, his current slide was started with a decision loss to current middleweight champion Chris Weidman, who took the fight against Sakara on short notice.
More than a year later, Sakara was knocked out by Brian Stann in Sweden, then was disqualified for punches to the back of Patrick Cote’s head at UFC 154 in November 2012. A rematch was ordered up after the controversial call, but Sakara was forced out with a kidney disorder, and Cote dropped to welterweight. In October at UFC Fight Night 30, Sakara returned after nearly a year away and was submitted in the first round by UFC newcomer Nicholas Musoke in England.
The 36-year-old Sexton, long considered one of the pioneers of women’s MMA, has been fighting professionally since 2002. The England native was part of Cage Warriors Fighting Championship’s first card in 2002. Four years later, in her sixth pro fight, and after winning Cage Warriors’ 132-pound women’s title, she found herself in a fight with Gina Carano.
Although she dropped the fight to Carano by second-round knockout, she went on to win eight of her next night fights, including bouts under EliteXC’s ShoXC banner and Bellator MMA. After a three-fight winning streak that included decisions over Roxanne Modafferi and Aisling Daly, Sexton moved to the UFC and debuted in June at UFC 161, moving up to bantamweight to fight Alexis Davis. She dropped that fight by decision in Davis’ native Canada, then got another shot in her own home country. But in October at UFC Fight Night 30 in her hometown of Manchester, she was outgunned by Jessica Andrade.
