Matt Hamill, Nandor Guelmino, and David Mitchell removed from UFC rosters

UPFRONT DISCLAIMER: This information is entirely based upon a fighter's removal from the UFC.com roster of active fighters. These rosters are stored on different servers and may update at different times, thus information expressed here may not be readily apparent. If and when confirmation is available the article will be updated.

Dana White mentioned just the other day that the UFC "roster is too full" and while I'm not sure I take him at his word (they've done nothing but expand this year) it may have been a prelude to this weeks fighter releases. Matt Hamill, Nandor Guelmino, and David Mitchell have all been removed from the UFC's lists of active fighters.

First and foremost, Matt Hamill is something of a surprise. In a Light Heavyweight division that seems to be getting thinner by the moment (Nelson and Cormier notwithstanding) Hamill is 1-1 in his last two with a win over Roger Hollett and his most recent loss to Thiago Silva. His loss to Silva was bad and while he is certainly on the downside of his career his losses have all been to top competition. With his popularity and recent return from retirement it was largely assumed that he would get a little more breathing room or at least one more fight. Eventually it's still not a bad move, at 37 and with one foot already out the door he's hardly a fighter that the UFC should be clutching on to, but a surprising cut nonetheless.

There's little surprise in the release of Mitchell or Guelmino. Mitchell has a lone win over Simeon Thoresen to his credit in his five fight UFC stint. He had been looking to improve of late, and many were quite impressed with his ability to roll with Yan Cabral and not get submitted, but ultimately he just doesn't have the physical gifts to compete at the top level. The fact that Guelmino got a UFC fight at all came as something of a shock to many fight fans. As a short notice fill in on Strikeforce's final card he did not acquit himself terribly well. He did better with a full camp and a greener opponent in Daniel Omielanczuk, but eventually found himself out on the canvas for his second strait loss under the Zuffa banner.

I wouldn't be shocked if these aren't the last cuts this week, so stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for more news and updates.

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