Farid Basharat will step into the octagon at UFC 329 on July 11 with no contract beyond the fight. His 9-0 record sits unsigned while his brother Javid, a flyweight who went 3-1 inside the promotion, left the UFC roster in recent weeks without public ceremony. Basharat is treating the bout—buried on a card headlined by Conor McGregor's return—as a negotiating instrument rather than a showcase.
The Afghan-born, UK-based bantamweight has won all three UFC appearances by decision, a clean but unspectacular run that puts him in the roster's middle tier. His contract expires after UFC 329. Rather than sign an extension beforehand, Basharat is banking that a fourth consecutive win, delivered on a $2.5 million gate card in front of McGregor's audience, forces the UFC's matchmaking hand. The promotion typically renews mid-tier fighters at $20,000 to show, $20,000 to win, with no signing bonus. Basharat wants show money north of $30,000 and a multi-fight guarantee, according to a person familiar with the ask.
Javid Basharat's departure matters because it removes a scheduling lever. When both brothers sat on the roster, the UFC could book them on the same international cards—London, Abu Dhabi—and split travel costs across two bouts. Javid's exit means Farid now absorbs full logistical expense as a solo import, a line item that makes his per-fight cost less attractive to matchmakers. The UFC released Javid without a loss; his last fight, a January decision win, came 72 days before the roster cut. No injury was disclosed. The timing suggests a budget trim rather than performance washout.
Basharat's leverage is narrow. Undefeated records carry weight, but decision wins at bantamweight—where the division's top fifteen averages 68% finish rate—do not. His path to a title shot requires at least four more wins against ranked opponents, meaning a new contract would lock him in through late 2027 at the earliest. If he loses at UFC 329, the UFC will offer a one-fight extension at flat terms or let him walk to PFL, where former UFC bantamweights are signing for $50,000 per fight in the regular season but face tournament risk. Basharat has not hired an agent; his father, a former wrestler, handles negotiations.
The McGregor card gives Basharat an audience he will not get again soon. UFC 329 is projected to draw 650,000 pay-per-view buys, meaning his fight—likely positioned on the early prelims—will stream in front of 150,000 live viewers, triple his prior exposure. A finish, especially a submission, would force the UFC to either pay him or watch him headline a PFL card in Riyadh six months later.
Farid's team is watching two parallel timelines. First, whether the UFC books a summer London card in September, where Basharat could slot as a local favorite if his contract renews before then. Second, whether PFL's $300 million Saudi investment opens a European season in 2026, which would give him a landing spot with upside if negotiations stall. Javid, now unsigned, is expected to sign with Cage Warriors or PFL Europe by August.
The takeaway
Basharat risks free agency on a McGregor undercard, betting finish rate can override decision streak in renewal talks.
ufcmmacontract negotiationbasharatpflfighter pay
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