A women’s MMA pioneer’s time in the UFC has come to an end.
Liz Carmouche, who lost to Ronda Rousey at UFC 157 in 2013 in what was the first female fight in UFC history, was released from the promotion on Thursday, her manager Kyle Stoltz told ESPN.
The decision to release Carmouche comes after she just fought champion Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight title in her most recent fight back in August. Shevchenko won that bout via unanimous decision.
According to Stoltz, Carmouche has been asking to fight again since early September, but the UFC didn’t offer a fight. He said she also recently turned down a couple of grappling match offers because she wanted to keep her schedule open in case she was offered a bout.
“We hope to find her a home better suited for her in the near future,” Stoltz said.
Coincidentally, Carmouche is currently in Washington, D.C., doing promotional work for the UFC before Saturday’s Fight Night event.
Carmouche, 35, has a 13-7 pro record. She leaves the promotion with a 5-5 record inside the Octagon. Her two most notable victories came against future strawweight champion Jessica Andrade and Katlyn Chookagian, who will challenge Shevchenko for the 125-pound title in February. Carmouche is currently ranked fourth in the official UFC rankings.
Her fight against Rousey in February 2013, which was also the first women’s title fight in the UFC, is considered one of the most important in MMA history.