Dana White confirmed with Kevin Iole of Yahoo MMA that #6 contender Yushin “Thunder” Okami has been released from his UFC contract. Mike Ricci, a finalist on the oft-maligned TUF Season 16, was given his walking papers as well.
White on Okami:
“He’s been with us forever. He was always a tough guy and was right up there, but it’s almost like he’d become a gatekeeper. I like Okami, and you’ve heard me say this many times, that a win over Yushin Okami meant something. But he was never able to get over the hump and win one of those [significant] fights. We have a lot of guys coming in and I’ve been saying this all year: We have a full roster and there are guys who deserve opportunities. When you bring guys in, someone has to go. That’s why these fights are so meaningful.”
Okami is coming off a KO loss to Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza at the latest UFC Fight Night. Ricci is coming off a pedestrian decision loss to Myles Jury at UFC 165
