Daniel Marcos shocked by UFC release: 'I don't understand'

Daniel Marcos is at a loss for words. The Peruvian, along with many fans, can’t understand why he’s no longer with the UFC.

Just a few months ago, Marcos (18-1) was considered one of the best bantamweights outside the UFC rankings, and was a real threat at stealing one of those 15 highly-coveted spots. Yet, a little over a week ago, news broke the UFC decided to part ways with Marcos. The a surprising revelation left many, including Marcos, wondering, ‘What happened?’

“The UFC told me to stay ready (after my last fight), and that they were going to give me a fight, and that didn’t happen,” Marcos told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. “I got a submission against not an easy opponent, Miles Johns, who has fought many strong fighters and people in the rankings, and I can’t say much more than that. I don’t understand. A lot of people have asked me, ‘What happened? What happened?,’ and all I can say is that I don’t know. There is no explanation. I have no clue what happened. I wasn’t given a single reason as to what happened. I see some people commenting that I was asking for a lot of money or being difficult in the contract, but those are all lies. It was none of that. It’s unexplainable.”

Marcos had a respectable run in the UFC, going 5-1 with one no contest. He signed with the promotion after winning a contract on Dana White Contender Series in 2022. Marcos debuted just a few months later in January 2023, violently stopping Brazil’s Saimon Oliveira with knees to the body at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro. “Soncora” was given a tough path, fighting more challenging competition than an average newcomer. He went on to defeat veterans Davey Grant, John Castañeda, and Adrian Yanez before losing a decision to Montel Jackson, ranked No. 15 at the time.

Looking to bounce back from his first professional loss, Marcos was then matched up in November against the aforementioned Johns. Prior to the fight, he received a warning from the UFC through his then-manager.

“The last time I fought, they had told me that I needed to do what I did in my last fight, get a finish,” Marcos explained. “That’s what I was told. That’s what my previous manager told me. So I did what they told me, and this whole time I’ve been waiting to get the call. I was waiting all this time, training and staying ready all this time. I don’t know what happened to tell you the truth. I don’t know what happened. I can’t find the reason (for my release).

“I only lost once. I was always active. All of my fights were hard, and my only loss came against a top contender, who was No. 15 in the division. I can’t find the reason as to why this happened. I respect the UFC. They opened the doors for me, and I’ll always be thankful for that. But I just don’t understand what happened. I don’t have an explanation or words to describe what happened.”

Marcos impressed many and followed UFC orders in what would become his last bout in the promotion. After beating Johns in Round 1, Marcos sunk in a rear-naked choke and put the American to sleep. Marcos, who lives in Peru, stayed in Miami, where he does the bulk of his training camps, hoping to get an opportunity to break into the rankings, while also getting a new contract after having fought out his previous one. But the contract and fight offer never came, instead, it was a rough call from his management company.

“My new management, Iridium, told me that they weren’t going to continue with me, and that surprised me because I had my hopes up,” Marcos said. “I wanted to show my next level. I was asking for names, looking to get a big fight. They left me with that desire to prove and show where I want to go in this sport. It was very difficult for me. I’ve only lost once in my life, this surprised me a lot.”

“… When you have your hopes up and something like this happens, you ask yourself, ‘What is happening? That’s the first thing I asked myself, ‘Why? Why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong?’ That would come to mind. ‘Why didn’t I get renewed if in my last fight I got the finish and slept my opponent?’ So many things went through my head, but I always tried to stay calm. I stayed patient. I’ve been patient since November, which was my last fight. I then said, ‘Ok,’ I accepted it. Not long after it went public, PFL started talking to my manager, and a new door opened up, and I took it.”

A week after his unexpected UFC release, Marcos signed a multi-fight contract with PFL. The quickness of the transition set him at ease, as he’d been following the PFL and found it a fitting home for the continuation of his MMA career. The 33-year-old hopes to make his PFL debut in July or August and is itching to fight again.

“In my previous company, I was on the cusp of entering the rankings, so I’m just ready to fight,” Marcos said. “They can just put whoever in front of me. I’m ready to fight someone in the top or outside of it. I don’t care. I’m ready. All I want to do is fight. I want to fight and show all of my abilities. I want to show people who I am and where I’m going. A lot of people are saying I need to be more aggressive. Well, you guys haven’t seen anything yet, and what I’m about to unleash in that cage. I want to debut, show off, and my mind is now on the PFL. I don’t close any doors, I’m open to it all, but right now I’m a PFL fighter.”

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Daniel Marcos shocked by UFC release: ‘I don’t understand’