• UFC 112

Al Turk heads list of seven fighters cut from UFC

Jon Madsen catches Mostapha Al Turk © UFC

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English heavyweight Mostapha Al Turk is one of seven fighters cut by the UFC following the weekend event in Abu Dhabi, according to MMAjunkie.com.

The names of Al Turk, Matt Veach and Rafaello Oliveira were added to an initial group of four fighters including Jason High, Rob Emerson, Brad Blackburn and Fabricio Camoes.

In fairness to Al Turk, he was thrown in at the deep end by the UFC, fighting Cheick Kongo and Mirko Cro Cop in his first two fights, both of which he lost via TKO. The Cro Cop loss was clouded in controversy, after Al Turk appeared to be the victim of an eye poke before the bout-ending ambush. However, defeat to Jon Madsen at UFC 112 left the 36-year-old with a disappointing 0-3 record in MMA's premier organisation.

Of the other names to lose their UFC status, Matt Veach departs after dropping a second round guillotine loss to Britain's Paul Kelly. Veach was beaten by new lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in his previous fight and was well respected in the 155lb division, which shows how close Kelly might have been to suffering a similar fate had the result been reversed.

Oliveira also departs after defeat to a Brit, having suffered a decision loss to Andre Winner during the most recent Ultimate Fight Night. Oliveira pays the price for showing a lack of aggression inside the Octagon.

Elsewhere, Blackburn is cut after losing to DaMarques Johnson, High's last fight was a decision loss to Charlie Brenneman, Rob Emerson pays the price for a 1-3 record in his last four fights, and Camoes is somewhat surprisingly found surplus to requirements despite a strong showing against Kurt Pellegrino.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.