By John Morgan |
March 9, 2021 9:55 pm
Despite challenging for the UFC women’s featherweight title at this past weekend’s UFC 259 event, Megan Anderson is no longer under contract with the promotion.
MMA Junkie confirmed with Anderson’s management team at Paradigm Sports that she competed at UFC 259 in the final fight of her deal and has now fulfilled her obligations with the promotion. MMA Fighting first reported Anderson’s contract status.
While Anderson (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) is free to sign a new agreement with the promotion if offered, the former interim Invicta FC featherweight champion plans on taking some time before plotting her next move.
Paradigm Sports rep Tim Simpson confirmed via text that Anderson is currently nursing some lingering injuries that they will let heal before plotting her next move.
Anderson’s current UFC run ends following a six-fight stint with the promotion that began with a June 2018 decision loss to former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm. Her final five fights with the organization all ended in the first round, including wins over Cat Zingano, Zarah Fairn and Norma Dumont, as well as losses to Felicia Spencer and Nunes.
The 31-year-old Australian is currently ranked No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s featherweight rankings.
While the future of the UFC’s women’s featherweight division is often questioned given the promotion does not have official rankings for the weight class and holds just a handful of 145-pound female fighters under contract, UFC officials have insisted both publicly and behind the scenes that no determination has been made to scrap the division at this time.