Cut TUF fighter releases statement after Conor McGregor rumors surface

Former UFC fighter Kris Moutinho released a statement after he was reportedly cut from season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter by Conor McGregor.

Earlier this month, Dana White dropped a bombshell that 'The Notorious' would be returning to the octagon later this year. The former double champ is set to coach against Michael Chandler in the latest season of TUF, with the pair expected to main-event a Pay-Per-View before the end of 2022.

Since arriving in Las Vegas for filming last week, Conor McGregor has reportedly given multiple fighters their marching orders and replaced them with his own talent, which he addressed on Instagram.

"Good practice, team! Ok, it's time for the easiest part of any coach's job.. the cuts. Now, while I wasn't able to cut everyone I wanted to, I have cut a lot of you. Wendell is cut. Rudy is cut. Janey, you’re gone. Stephen, I like your hustle. That’s why it was so hard to cut you. Congratulations! The rest of you made the team! Except you, you and you."

Kris Moutinho, who notably fought bantamweight star Sean O'Malley during his time in the UFC, was one of the fighters cut. The 30-year-old expressed his disappointment but stated that he's still planning on returning to the UFC.

"So guys after the letdown of the last few weeks I'm excited to announce that I'll be fighting on march 15th against a seasoned durable opponent...so I can show them and get one step closer to getting back to where I belong love you all god bless"

Aljamain Sterling backs Michael Chandler to defeat Conor McGregor

UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling believes Michael Chandler has the ability to have his hand raised in his bout against Conor McGregor but stated he must remain focused on doing so.

'Iron' has quickly become one of the biggest stars in the UFC since making his debut in 2021. The former Bellator champion has earned multiple performance bonuses, including 2021's Fight of the Year for his bout with Justin Gaethje.

Despite his financial success, however, Chandler is 2-3 in his five UFC outings and has been criticized for a poor fight IQ. The consensus amongst fans is that 'Iron' is more focused on putting on a show rather than sticking to a game plan for victory.

In a video uploaded to his YouTube, 'Aljo' addressed this and claimed Chandler must fight smart to defeat Conor McGregor:

“You have a guy like Chandler, who can hit like ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson and at the same time wrestles his a** off, if needed… Michael Chandler had ‘shows’ in the past. If Chandler shows up, this is Conor’s fight to lose… If Chandler comes in game-ready… And not just make a red-panty night payday, I think he goes out there and gets it done over Conor McGregor,”

Catch Sterling's fight breakdown here: