When UFC flyweight Jimmy Flick had his hand raised after choking out Malcolm Gordon with an arm triangle at UFC 297, fans thought he was back. It felt like he was reclaiming his place among the best at 125. But in truth, that moment marked the start of a painful downfall in what’s been a rollercoaster of a career.
Flick made noise early in his UFC run, big noise in fact. After submitting Nate Smith in his debut at Dana White’s Contender Series 4.5, he followed it up with something nobody had ever seen in the UFC- a flying triangle submission win over Cody Durden. Just like that, he was on the map. Two fights, two finishes, drew the attention it deserved. But in the fight game, momentum can vanish in a flash.
Despite his rise, reality hit hard. Flick shocked fans by announcing his retirement at age 30—right after that win over Durden. He opened up about the financial strain of being a fighter, calling out the lack of long-term support in the UFC. “We have no 401k. We have no benefits. We have no fallback. Fighters are too stupid to unionize,” he said bluntly, making it clear his priority was securing a future for his family.
He made a comeback in 2023, but it didn’t go as planned. After a win over Gordon, he dropped four of his next five fights. Most recently, in April 2025, he lost to Matt Schnell. With just two fights left on his contract, the UFC cut him loose.
Following his return to the sport in 2023, Flick secured just that one victory over Gordon; he lost two fights before facing him and two more afterwards. At 34 years of age with a downhill record, Flick only had two fights remaining on his contract after his most recent loss in April 2025, against Matt Schnell. Following this, Flick recently revealed he has been let go from the UFC, and in an understanding yet disappointing tone, he believed the reason was Flick’s 2-4 record in his last six fights.
“I got the call yesterday that the UFC cut me. It’s a hard pill to swallow. Being 2-4 in the UFC, I kinda understand it. Kinda sucks. I mean, I was hoping for maybe a fight of the night performance, get a little more money, be able to open my gym. Unfortunately, I don’t get to finish out my contract with the last two fights and it’s heartbreaking. At 34 years old, I still feel I’m right there at the peak of where I could be. I felt like I was getting better every fight.”
The submission specialist revealed how he felt he was getting better with every fight. Flick also opened up about his dream to open up his own gym, earn a few ‘POTN’ bonuses while he was at it, but all that met an abrupt and bitter ending.
Jimmy Flick’s unfortunate departure from the promotion will surely come as sad news for the MMA community. A fighter appreciated by the fans and veterans alike, he will be missed and talked about by many.
Yet, he was not the only fighter let go in dubious conditions by the promotion. UFC CEO and President Dana White‘s few firing decisions have had the fans question the UFC boss, while some he himself has come to regret.
When Dana White strikes his axe. A throwback to some sudden UFC departures.
Jimmy Flick is only the latest fighter to be let go from the promotion under such conditions. Even deserving and ranked fighters have often become victims of Dana’s axe. Remember Elias Theodorou? The Canadian middleweight was ranked and held an 8–3 record in the UFC when he was cut after a loss to Derek Brunson in 2019. Many believed it was due to his grinding, unflashy style.
Then there’s Jake Shields. Shields was let go in 2014 after losing to Hector Lombard, a former title challenger, despite a solid 14–4 run in his last 18 fights. Rumors swirled that his contract price and fight style led to his release.
And the most shocking was Shane Burgos. The fan-favorite featherweight left the UFC in 2022 for a better deal with PFL. Dana White later admitted, “We f*cked that one up.”
So, where does that leave someone like Jimmy Flick?
The fight world’s crazy like that. It is full of comebacks and second chances. Just because a fighter’s gone doesn’t mean they’re done. Burgos could return. So could Flick. In MMA, careers can rise from the ashes.
What do you think? Could Jimmy Flick make his way back into the UFC? Could another promotion give him the shot he deserves? Let us know in the comments.
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