Earning a second chance in the UFC is rare, and getting released again must be heartbreaking. For one veteran from Massachusetts, a rare second stint in the UFC ended in disappointment as the MMA promotion cut him from the roster again.

The UFC’s ongoing roster cuts have claimed Kris Moutinho (14-8), whose second run with the promotion has ended, once again, with no success.

“Kris Moutinho has been cut by the UFC for a second time after his fourth straight UFC loss,” wrote ACD MMA on X. The news was also confirmed by the UFC roster tracker on the same platform. Others who joined him in the exit are Phil Rowe, Gavin Tucker, Erik Silva, and AJ Cunningham. Both Tucker and Cunningham had announced their retirements a few weeks ago.

For more than a decade, the 33-year-old has chased his dream of competing at the highest level of MMA. He started his journey in amateur bouts before turning professional in 2016. After that, Moutinho built a solid run in the American promotion Classic Entertainment & Sports MMA (CES), which helped him earn a contract with the UFC in 2021.

The promotion matched him with former champion Sean O’Malley in his debut, and Kris Moutinho quickly experienced the unforgiving level of UFC competition. O’Malley outperformed Moutinho with his superior striking skills, landing heavy punches and knocking him out on the feet in the third round. But Moutinho’s grit and chin earned praise from everyone watching. After the first bout, Moutinho faced Guido Cannetti, where he lost the fight, and later the UFC released him in 2022.

After leaving the promotion, between 2023 and 2024, he went on a 5-0 run, which earned him another opportunity with the organization. The UFC signed him again in 2025, and in his first fight, he stepped in on short notice to face Malcolm Wellmaker. However, the fight ended when Wellmaker landed a right hook that knocked Moutinho out, producing what many considered one of the most brutal knockouts of the year.

After the defeat, Kris Moutinho shared a message thanking the UFC for the opportunity. He posted a long “thanks” message to the promotion, Dana White, and Sean Shelby for giving him a second chance.

Finally, last month, the UFC gave him one more opportunity to prove himself at UFC Mexico. However, Christian Quinonez outclassed the MMA veteran with a dominant performance, which ultimately brought an end to his second stint with the promotion.

Kris Moutinho opens up about the “dark” period following his first UFC exit

“Its one step closer to my end goal,” Kris Moutinho told a UFC interviewer in 2021 after he signed with the promotion for the first time. When the interviewer asked what it “means” to fight in the UFC, Moutinho expressed clear optimism about his future inside the organization.

With his finish rate exceeding 60 percent, he built a reputation for prioritizing a fighting style to entertain the fans. He took risks but did not get the reward in the UFC, as he lost all his fights. Last year, Kris Moutinho spoke openly to the media about how his life became difficult after his first exit from the UFC.

“I went through a really bad time with relationships, with everything else in my life, and I was just a mess,” Moutinho said during UFC Atlanta media day. “I was very close to ending this thing, ending it all and being done.”

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Despite going through the “worst” phase of his career, Kris Moutinho eventually found the love of his life. That relationship helped him move away from a dark place and rebuild his life. That support also played an important role in his comeback run outside the UFC, where he delivered some strong performances.

Now in 2026, Kris Moutinho once again stands at a crossroads after the Dana White-led promotion released him for the second time. It will be interesting to see where the 33-year-old fighter takes his MMA journey next.