Irish mixed martial artist prospect Shauna Bannon will no longer fight Ravena Oliveira at UFC 304 on July 27.
UFC News: Drew Dober gives update on gruesome cut that forced Denver fight to be scrapped
Replacing the injured Oliveira will be regional prospect Alice Ardelean (9-5-0). The Fearless MMA alumnus is riding a five-fight winning streak coming into UFC 304 with a solid 88 percent finishing percentage, but her impact has frustrated many fans and critics.
“UFC signing Alice Ardelien is an embarrassment for the promotion,” said Sean Bitter of Cageside Press. About X“Probably the worst contract ever. I'm not kidding. Ardelean is not a fighter, she's a TikTok star. … She has won her last five fights, but against who? It's a real shame the best promotion in the world doesn't care about the 'best in the world' talent.”
Alderian boasts 3 million fans on TikTok and hundreds of thousands more across other social channels, yet she has won multiple titles on the regional circuit and faced off against formidable opponents such as Weili Zhang and Diana Belvita.
She made headlines in January 2023 when she claimed she had to move gyms after her wives complained about her status as an OnlyFans model.
“When I first started OnlyFans I was working out at the gym, but I kept getting nasty looks,” Ardelean said. Daily Star. “I got a few abusive messages from wives of my gym buddies saying things like, 'You're such a nobody'. They were scared their husbands would sign up.”
“I was forced to move gyms to avoid this drama. In fact, the only reason I was on OnlyFans was to pay for my daily workouts, nutritionist, and gym equipment.”
Where have all the fighters gone? The decline of the UFC talent pool
UFC's recent signing decisions have come under intense scrutiny, particularly the missed opportunities to sign Paul Hughes and Beysangul Chamsoudinov, and Ardelean will have a golden opportunity to prove the doubters wrong when he faces Bannon in the first bout of the night at UFC 304.
continue MMAK Knockout For many Free Press Get the latest updates on UFC, MMA, Boxing, WWE and AEW. Follow MMAKnockout on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
