Exclusive: Jose Shorty Torres Talks UFC Release, Flyweight Division Axed & What’s Next

R.I.P Flyweight. Kind of. 

One of the first casualties of UFC’s dwindling Flyweight division was Jose “Shorty” Torres, who was 1-1 in the UFC and a double champion outside of the company. Just minutes before rumors of a Dillashaw vs. Cejudo Flyweight title fight was announced, Torres talked to Fightful’s James Lynch after being cut. 

“I had Lex McMahon, my manager call (UFC matchmaker) Mick Maynard. Mick said there were no thoughts about cutting it and then a few days later we get a call back from Mick saying they have a few thoughts about cutting it, but they don’t know who they’re keeping. Immediately, I proposed to fight at 135. If anything, since you’re cutting it in 2019, let me bump up to 135 and fight in December — take a last minute fight and prove myself that I can compete. They look at my last fight and say I lost my last fight and that I won my first fight by a fluke (they cut me.) That was both Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby. Four of my professional fights are at 135. I can compete, you’re just not giving me the opportunity. Mark De La Rosa and Joby Sanchez is scheduled for 135 and they’re both new to the UFC. Why are they getting the chance and I’m not?,” Torres asked, before it was clarified that De La Rosa’s fight was booked weeks ago. “You’re telling me every guy coming off of a loss is getting cut?”

Torres’ manager told him that he believes that because Torres brought up the situation to the UFC first, he was let go. Torres thinks that the Flyweight division being abandoned is going to make the bantamweight division bloated,

“You’re going to overflow a (bantamweight) division that’s already full. You’re keeping the guys that are in LFA and Titan out of the UFC because the division is already overflowed. I think they can bring back anything if they want to. They can bring in men’s strawweight if they want to. Is it going to be worth it for them? Probably not,” said Torres.

“Shorty” said he has his eyes on BRAVE, One Championship, Rizin and KSW.

In the full interview, Jose Shorty Torres (8-1) discusses his release from the UFC and the promotion eliminating the flyweight division.