Erick Gonzalez is no longer competing for UFC.
The lightweight “Ghost Pepper” had three shots inside the world-famous Octagon but came up short in all three attempts. After falling to Jim Miller at UFC Vegas 40 back in late 2021, the 31 year-old Gonzalez was submitted by Terrance McKinney at UFC Vegas 59 the following year. His final fight under the UFC banner ended in a first-round knockout loss to Trevor Peek at UFC Vegas 70 last February.
Gonzalez was well regarded by UFC fans for his action-packed style.
“Well… hear it from me, I was released from UFC but I’ll be back, I guarantee it,” Gonzalez wrote on social media. “I did have one more fight under contract but they didn’t honor it. I get it though. This journey don’t stop.”
Gonzalez (14-8) rose to fame as one of the top lightweights for Combate Global, racking up an impressive 8-4 record in 12 fights for the Hispanic-based MMA promotion. No word yet on where “Ghost Pepper” will land in the coming months, but Bellator MMA and PFL MMA are likely to be the two leading options.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
