Jimmy Smith announces UFC departure after promotion declines to re-sign him

One year and done. Jimmy Smith’s commentating gig with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has come to an end, as the longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) mouthpiece has announced that the promotion declined to re-sign him to a new deal.

Smith took to Twitter to break the news on New Year’s day.

Now that the New Year has arrived I’m afraid I have to announce that the UFC has declined to re-sign me and my time with the promotion has come to an end. I just want to thank everyone at the promotion who made me feel welcome and appreciate at every single show.

With several fighters (such as this former champion) making the full-time jump over to broadcasting and commentating, it seems there simply isn’t enough room at the table for everyone.

Smith made the jump over to UFC exactly a year ago after spending years with Bellator MMA. Smith was one of the pieces added to UFC’s ever-growing broadcast team as part of Dana White’s plan to build a “dream team.”

Nevertheless, it seems things didn’t quite work out as well as both sides would’ve hoped for, as Smith enters 2019 as a free agent, though he shouldn’t last on the market for too long as he is without a doubt one of the best in the business.