Brad Tavares already re-signed with UFC, clears up removal from roster after recent win

Brad Tavares is back with the UFC, technically having never left.

Following a dominant victory over Gerald Meerschaert in April, the veteran fighter, with 15 years in the promotion, was unexpectedly removed from the active roster. UFC officials had confirmed that Tavares had completed his previous contract. Typically, fighters are removed from the roster either when their contract expires or when they are explicitly released by the promotion.

In Tavares` situation, his contract did expire, but only for a short period. He had already been in discussions with the UFC about a new agreement, which has now been finalized.

“So, my last fight was the final one on my previous contract, so that contract ended,” Tavares explained during an appearance on the *Still Friends Show* podcast. “Funnily enough, the UFC, whether it`s some kind of AI system or a specific department—they are really on top of things because bam, that contract ended, and bam, I was taken off the roster.”

“Anyway, I was in the middle of negotiating my new contract, which I successfully did. That`s when all the news came out, and I found it amusing,” he added.

It was surprising that Tavares even reached the end of his contract, given that he has spent nearly his entire professional career competing under the UFC banner.

When his removal from the roster became public knowledge, Tavares mentioned that he received numerous messages inquiring about the situation. However, he already knew that the matter would be quickly resolved.

“It`s funny, everyone was reaching out, even close friends and family saying, `Hey, I saw this,` or whatever. Then there were others who saw it but thought, `I don`t feel comfortable asking him about that,` or something similar,” Tavares shared. “Being the person I am, I decided to just let it be, not address anything publicly, and allow people to speculate.”

Ultimately, everything worked out. However, Tavares admitted that despite his long tenure with the UFC, he understood the risk involved in entering his most recent fight with only one bout remaining on his agreement.

Prior to his decision win against Meerschaert, Tavares had suffered back-to-back defeats. A third consecutive loss would likely have signaled the end of his UFC career.

“It`s the chance you have to take, right?” Tavares commented. “For sure, if I had underperformed or lost that fight, 100 percent that would have been my final one. They would have said something like, `We appreciate you,` or maybe they would have just been like, `Kick rocks.` That`s the uncertainty.”

“It`s been like that throughout my whole career. That last fight, whether it`s the third or fifth fight depending on the contract terms, you always want to show up and perform exceptionally well because that`s the foundation for your next negotiation. If you`re coming off a loss in that crucial fight, it`s challenging to negotiate terms. At the end of the day, it`s a business. That`s the risk you accept,” he elaborated.

In the end, Tavares successfully reached an agreement to re-sign with the UFC. He is now eagerly anticipating his next fight assignment, with aspirations of setting the record for the most wins in the history of the middleweight division. He is currently tied with Michael Bisping for this achievement, with 16 victories at 185 pounds.

“The UFC has always treated me well,” Tavares stated. “They offered me another contract. Now I have the opportunity to go out there and hold that record myself.”