5 fighters who may only have 1 more fight in the UFC

Being one of the top combat sports promotions in the world, it's incredibly difficult to land a spot in the UFC. However, it's even harder to keep one's position within the company. The promotion is usually quick to cut anyone who isn't fit to be on the roster or will let go of fighters who have problems with contract negotiations not being met, promotion (or lack thereof), overall treatment, etc. Sometimes, fighters even leave on their own accord.

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Over time, fan favorites and former contenders have lost their spot to younger, fresher fighters. It frequently talked about how MMA is a young person's sport. While a career is to some degree always contingent on the next performance, it's especially crucial for the fighters who haven't found much luck as of late.

The downswing of a career is unfortunately part of any sport. Several fighters have lost and worked their way back into the organization, including Chael Sonnen and Brandon Moreno. Strings of losses happen, but fighters can get back on track. It's not the end of their MMA careers either, as other organizations are beginning to catch up with the UFC in terms of mainstream coverage. Some fighters are even opting for companies other than the UFC. With these being some reasons a fighter may find their way off the roster, here are five fighters who may only have one more fight in the UFC.

#5. Donald Cerrone - UFC welterweight contender

Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone at UFC 246

Donald Cerrone is a company man. He's treated the UFC well and the company has treated him with the same respect. Although he hasn't had his hand raised since 2019, after six fights, the company is still allowing him to step back in the octagon to take on fellow veteran Joe Lauzon.

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This could very well be the farewell fight that fans have been dreading. 'Cowboy' is one of the most universally liked fighters in MMA. Although the demand to see him perform will always be there, he may have fired his last bullet with his 2019 run for title contention.

Donald Cerrone could very-well have a home in the Hall of Fame based off of his willingness to fight anyone, or his career's longevity. His career is undoubtedly an impressive one, but it's most likely finished regardless of the outcome of the upcoming bout with Lauzon.

#4. Chris Weidman

Fate hasn't been too kind to Chris Weidman ever since he threw a spinning kick at Luke Rockhold. The former middleweight champion, Weidman, was the one who put a stop to Anderson Silva's reign over the middleweight division. Knocking out 'The Spider' in their first meeting put Weidman on the map.

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After his rematch with Silva, things took an unfortunate turn. As Weidman checked Silva's kick, the former champion's leg broke, wrapping around the leg of Weidman. After the two fights against Silva, Weidman went on to prove that he's a legitimate champion. The New Yorker suffered his first defeat at the hands of Luke Rockhold in 2015. Since then, he's gone 2-6.

What's troubling is that his 6 losses were all by way of stoppage. While the Mousasi TKO was more of Weidman reacting to what he thought was an illegal shot, most of these losses were pretty hard to watch. "Hard to watch" segues very well into the most recent fight of Weidman's career. Similar to the second Silva fight, when Weidman faced Uriah Hall, he threw a leg kick that broke his leg and stopped the bout. While Weidman is tough and could come back for another fight, this injury and his career trajectory could have his next fight being his last with the company.

#3. Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson is a true veteran of the sport. He's fought under the company's name since 2010. 'The Menace' has fought a laundry list of top guys, but hasn't been able to get a win in his last four fights.

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He's slated to take on Alan Patrick, who's 0-2-1 in his last three. This fight seems to be one where a spot on the roster is on the line. If Johnson loses this bout, then he'll most likely be cut from the organization.

Although he's been a part of some very memorable fights and even owns a knockout victory over Dustin Poirier, his career has been on the downswing as of late. Granted, he's taken tough fights and isn't completely outclassed in these outings, but those are the variables that the UFC may not look into.

#2. Sam Alvey

Some of the best vibes in the UFC come from 'Smile'N' Sam Alvey. Always happy and high-spirited, whoever meets him has a hard time believing he punches people for a living.

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Unfortunately, Alvey is on quite the skid. With his last victory being in 2018, the UFC would've cut many fighters in similar positions by now. Alvey, however, has stepped up for the company instead of protecting his record. He's taken on rising stars, the next generation of fighters, and many opponents that he wasn't originally training for.

While he's definitely lost some of these fights, a lot of the losses in this streak are split decisions. Perhaps this is why Alvey will be granted another fight with the company. There's a lot riding on his next performance, as another loss will be the nail in the coffin on his run in the promotion.

#1. Nate Diaz

Nate Diaz wants to re-negotiate contract

Stockton's own, Nate Diaz, is one of the biggest stars in the UFC right now. He went from being a looked-over fighter to one that can really call his own shots. He's currently riding a two-fight losing streak, but this isn't what's putting his future with the company in jeopardy.

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With the starpower that Diaz has accrued comes opportunities in free-agency. Diaz has one fight left on his contract and has been candid about looking to venture outside of the UFC. While it's very possible that Dana White could throw enough money at Diaz that he'll stick around, it's equally possible for him to go off and do his own thing. The Diaz brothers are notoriously unpredictable.

There are so many potential fights for the Californian to take. The McGregor rivalry feels incomplete, Dustin Poirier and him have unfinished business, and a rematch against Jorge Masvaidal is also an option. These are all money fights that the UFC would love to keep the door open on. Nate Diaz will do whatever he wants, though. That's what made him a fan favorite in the first place.