Dana White (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
The UFC parted ways with Antonina Shevchenko, the sister of UFC women’s flyweight Valentina Shevchenko. The move came as part of the most recent wave of roster changes.
According to Borrachinha Depot and others, the UFC released Abdul Razak Alhassan and also removed Molly McCann (who retired in the Octagon at UFC London) from the roster.
Shevchenko, 40, the eldest of the sisters, hadn’t fought since she won a split decision over Cortney Casey in July 2022. She recently had a son and has become a jet pilot, so it seems as though Shevchenko may have made the decision to move away from fighting.
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 26: Antonina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan prepares to fight Jaimee Nievera in … More
If she is done competing, Shevchenko will walk away from MMA with a record of 10-4.
Shevchenko earned her spot in the UFC with a TKO win over Jaimee Nievera on Dana White’s Contender Series in June 2018. Shevchenko followed that up with a victory over Ji Yeon Kim on The Ultimate Fighter Finale Season 28 and was off to a strong start in her UFC career.
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – APRIL 24: (L-R) Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan poses with her sister … More
Unfortunately, she’d lose four of her next six fights before likely ending her career with a win over Casey. During her career, Shevchenko earned two Performance of the Night bonuses but never reached the Top 15 in any division.
Razak Alhassan’s situation was a bit different. He was scheduled to fight Dustin Stoltzfus on the May 17 card, but he has reportedly been replaced by Nursulton Ruziboev, according to Tapology.
Excitement has never been an issue for Razak Alhassan. All but four of the 39-year-old Ghanaian’s 14 fights in the UFC ended with a finish. Unfortunately for him, he is on a three-fight winless streak with two losses and a no contest during that stretch.
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 20: Abdul Razak Alhassan of Ghana poses for a portrait backstage after his … More
Most recently, Razak Alhassan was viciously knocked out by Cesar Almeida in January. As it turns out, it could be his final fight in the UFC. If Razak Alhassan is done in the UFC, he leaves with a 6-7 record with one no contest. He is 14-7-1 as a pro in MMA.
McCann announced her retirement in the Octagon after she fell to Alexia Thainara via first-round submission on March 22. The loss was McCann’s second consecutive defeat and her third in her last four fights. Two of the three losses came by submission, which has been her bugaboo throughout her professional career.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 22: Molly McCann of England announces her retirement from MMA after a … More
Four of her seven losses in the UFC came by submission. McCann’s shining moments in the UFC came when she scored back-to-back KO wins with spinning back elbows in 2022 and strung together three straight Performance of the Night bonuses.
She walks away from MMA with a 14-8 record as a pro. It’s been a busy time for those managing the UFC’s fighter roster. Shevchenko, Razak Alhassan, and McCann join the list of fighters removed from the roster in a little over a month.
Since February 19, the UFC has parted ways with 25 fighters across multiple weight classes. The turnover will continue through the year as fighters fall off the roster due to expiring contracts, below-standard performance, and other issues.
