"Unsurprising" - Fans react as UFC 297 fighter gets released from promotion

After the entire slate of male Canadian fighters fell at UFC 297, one of them is now without a job.

Less than a week after losing in his home country to Sam Patterson as the betting favorite, Yohan Lainesse was announced to be released from the UFC by the UFC Roster Watch bot on X. The Quebec native ends his tenure less than three years after initially signing a contract offered to him by the UFC CEO after a win on season five of Dana White's Contender Series.

In reaction to the news, fans appeared to expect the front office decision. In four UFC fights, Lainesse went just 1-3, with his last two losses coming in the first round.

The lone victory of 'White Lion' in the octagon was a lackluster split decision nod over Darian Weeks in a fight that many felt he lost. Weeks out-struck Lainesse 49 to 24 with 1:32 more control time in the low-action bout.

The news of Lainesse's release quickly traveled to Reddit, where fans were 'unsurprised.'

Fan reaction to Yohan Lainesse being released from the UFC [Photo Courtesy of r/MMA on Reddit]

Other fans commented:

"Straight up he was trash"

"Who?... Yeah, that sums up Yohan very well actually"

"Fell to my knees at the post office"

"He's the poster child for the DWCS washouts in my eyes. Gets a pretty food finish on the DWCS against another undefeated guy, gets into the UFC, finds out he's not UFC level, washes out."

View more fan reactions to Yohan Lainesse being released following UFC 297 below:

Fan reactions to Yohan Lainesse being released from the UFC after his UFC 297 loss [via r/MMA on Reddit]

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UFC 297: Who is Yohan Lainesse?

Despite the Jan. 25 announcement of Yohan Lainesse's release from the UFC coming as no surprise, there was a time when the 'White Lion' was an undefeated prospect on the rise.

Like many prospects in the modern UFC era, Lainesse earned his contract on Dana White's Contender Series with a knockout of Justin Burlinson just 1:37 into the fight. The Canadian entered the matchup as a moderate 2-1 underdog but was a no-brainer for White as a contract winner at the end of the episode.

Lainesse would showcase his power once again by knocking down Gabe Green in his UFC debut but would ultimately lose by TKO in the second round. Following a controversial decision victory over Darian Weeks in his second outing, Lainesse has not picked up another win since.