[autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] is no longer on the UFC roster.
One of the longest-tenured fighters in the promotion’s history, Stephens (28-19 MMA, 15-18 UFC) became a free agent after his most recent fight, a loss to Mateusz Gamrot in July, two people with knowledge of the situation told MMA Junkie. The fight was the final on his UFC contract, and the promotion elected not to renew his deal.
Algorithm based Twitter account UFC Roster Watch tweeted the move Thursday.
Stephens, 35, made his UFC debut at UFC 71 in 2007. In the span of 14 years, Stephens battled a who’s who of UFC lightweights and featherweights. Some of his most notable wins include Renan Barao, Darren Elkins, Josh Emmett, and Rafael dos Anjos.
Leading up to his final UFC bout, Stephens was winless in six fights, including five losses and a no contest. All of the defeats, however, came against top talent, including Gamrot, Jose Aldo, Calvin Kattar, Zabit Magomedsharipov, and Yair Rodriguez.
Stephens headlined three UFC events during his promotional tenure, in fights against Rodriguez, Emmett, and Doo Ho Choi. He accumulated 10 bonuses for “Knockout of the Night” and “Fight of the Night” selections.
There is no word if Stephens has signed with a new promotion. At the time of publication, he has not commented on his departure.