The Pink Slip: Who Might Be Cut After UFC Fight Night 238?

There is an established norm in Ultimate Fighting Championship events or sports in general; the elation of victory for the winners coincides with the despair of defeat for those who came up short. For some of those losers, it denotes a more daunting repercussion that casts a shadow over their future in the UFC.

Saturday’s event at the Apex Facility was capped by a tremendous effort by heavyweight mainstay Jairzinho Rozenstruik and featured a number of statement efforts throughout the card. UFC Fight Night 238 delivered an adrenaline-fueled series of bouts, whetting the appetite of all those looking forward to UFC 299 next weekend. But amidst these exultant triumphs, focus now gravitates towards fighters navigating the perilous landscape of uncertain tomorrows.

We take a look at some of the fighters who with these losses, face the looming specter of the dreaded pink slip.

Claudio Ribeiro

Christian Leroy Duncan collected an incredible stoppage win over Claudio Ribeiro in a fairly lopsided contest. Duncan came to fight, and it was evident from the opening sequence. He staggered Ribeiro with high-volume strikes, including a spinning back kick to the body and a barrage of punishing elbows after he cleared the Brazilian’s guard. In the second, Duncan took the fight to the ground, transitioned to mount, and rained down elbows, earning the stoppage victory.

Ribeiro has gone 1-3 in the UFC since graduating from Dana White's Contender Series in 2022. He has been finished by knockouts in all three of those losses which suggest that he’s teetering on the brink in UFC.

Jamie Pickett

Pickett concluded his career on a somber note, announcing his retirement following a unanimous decision loss to Eryk Anders. The loss marked the fifth consecutive setback in Pickett’s journey, a streak for which he would almost certainly have been cut from the UFC roster anyway, and he expressed his desire to be a positive role model for his children and cited physical well-being as a factor in his decision to retire. The loss also marked the culmination of his contractual obligations with the UFC.