Farid Basharat is the latest cautionary tale of being a nondescript winner in the UFC

If Farid Basharat’s coaches were better demonstrators, they’d do away with his “Ferocious” nickname and rechristen him “Third from the Bottom.” As in, that’s typically where Basharat appears on a UFC card. Right around third from the bottom, deep in the reedy recesses of the early prelims. 

In fact, of Basharat’s seven fights in the UFC, he appeared on exactly one main card, which occurred against Jean Matsumoto at the Meta Apex in February. In that one, which he won by split decision, he was fifth from the top. That was the closest he’d ever come to summiting Mount Fightnightius. Fifth from the top on a card headlined by Mario Bautista and Vinicius Oliveira.

I bring all this up because the UFC opted not to re-sign Basharat, even though he is 7-0 in the promotion and 16-0 overall. Those numbers are much more fun to stare at than Basharat’s actual fights. If you were asked to run down your favorite Basharat moments, you’d excuse yourself to go refill your drink. The one thing I remember about his fight with Taylor Lapilus was Michael Bisping calling the latter “Slapilus,” which made Paul Felder giggle.

In other words, while playing to afternoon tea rooms he didn’t exactly deliver the “holy s***” moments that Dana White likes to broker in, so much as achieve the objective of winning. This is precisely why a mini-outcry went up among fight fans when he was effectively served his walking papers this week. What is it that should matter most? Winning or entertaining? Because Basharat, as a sportsman, has done nothing wrong to one way of thinking. He is a proven winner. 

Another victory, and who knows — maybe he’d have been ready to become Mr. Third from the Top. 

Basharat as a draw, though? See, that’s the thing …

Jeff Bottari via Getty Images

From the UFC’s perspective, he was a dudsman. The needle didn’t jump when Basharat’s name was called. In the ongoing “sport vs. entertainment” debate, which Demetrious Johnson has fueled in light of Michael Page’s recent UFC release, the results appear to be secondary. We’ve seen winners cut from the UFC before, yet it feels like in the Paramount+ era there’s a more obvious swing in emphasis. Win on the scorecards at your own risk.

Or lose spectacularly eight times in a row, like a perfect Tai Tuivasa, and stay on forever.

Maybe, in the sliding doors sense, had Basharat fought his scheduled opponent at UFC 329, Ethyn Ewing, everything would’ve been different. Ewing, as a young gun at bantamweight who has the marks of dark horse contender, was the A-side in the matchmaking. Given that Ewing’s a “buzz name” in the industry, perhaps Basharat upsetting that man’s apple cart would’ve gotten him over in a bigger way. Maybe that would’ve been the signature moment he has been looking for.

It definitely would’ve made parting ways with him less of a prerogative and more of an indictment had he won a fight like that.

But we’ll never know, because Ewing withdrew with an injury and was replaced with the UFC debutante, John Garza. Basharat outpointed Garza, and suddenly it was Farid and loathing in Las Vegas. Basharat wasn’t extended. He was shown the door. On his way out, fellow bantamweight Payton Talbott took a moment to throw some shade, revisiting a post of Basharat’s from a couple weeks back criticizing Talbott for fighting washed-up champions.

“6 decisions bro,” Talbott fired back, using a hopelessly sad emoji. 

“I didn’t have the luxury of three 40-year-olds,” Basharat returned, still bothered by Talbott’s conquests over Henry Cejudo and Deiveson Figuiredo. 

“Yeah sorry man thats a bummer, definitely would have beat them on the scorecards too!!” Talbott wrote.

And so on, until Talbott landed the finisher in the exchange, claiming, “I honestly just didn’t know that you were a UFC fighter until today.” 

That, in a nutshell, was the problem. A steady dial tone can drown out the loveliest storytellers … but should it be allowed to? Basharat never really stole away with the headlines (nor even so much as an end-of-the-night bonus). He got his hand raised every time, but by night’s end his fights were just things that happened. In France, Basharat submitted Kleydson Rodrigues, his only finish in the UFC, yet here’s guessing even the Mona Lisa wasn’t smiling after that.   

The truth is, though the UFC doesn’t (want to) outright admit to it, the most offensive thing you can be is a nondescript winner. Killing off potential draws one calf kick at a time. Muting conversations before they can ever be had. Sending people into 15-minute daydreams about bills that need to be paid, chores that need to be done before the weekend lets out, emails that need to be answered. When a highly-skilled daydream specialist like Basharat comes around, UFC matchmakers find themselves confronting the concepts of ennui. 

The best place for that kind of thing is third from the bottom. 

It took Movsar Evloev 10 wins to get a title shot. Belal Muhammad? The UFC eventually, reluctantly caved in when he made his case impossible to ignore. Magomed Ankalaev? If the UFC were in the business of selling potatoes, perhaps he’d have been ideal. As it was, the UFC had to give him a title chance because he wouldn’t be denied. All of those fighters handled their escalations until they were inevitable. 

The UFC simply didn’t want to give Basharat the chance to make himself inevitable, so when it came time they instead gave their best wishes.