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The UFC's roster currently contains well over 600 fighters across 12 different weight divisions. Naturally, many of these fighters fly under the radar.
Remarkably, though, there are a handful of big-name fighters on the UFC roster that many fans probably don't realise are still there. Some of these fighters have headlined major pay-per-views and have challenged for gold inside the octagon, too.
Here are five fighters who you probably forgot were still on the UFC roster.
#5. Alexander Gustafsson - former UFC light heavyweight title challenger
A decade ago, Alexander Gustafsson was undoubtedly one of the shining lights of the UFC's light heavyweight division.
'The Mauler' famously pushed Jon Jones to his absolute limit in late 2013 in a classic title fight that has since been enshrined in the promotion's Hall of Fame. He also enjoyed huge fame in his native Sweden and defeated great fighters like Jimi Manuwa, Glover Teixeira, and Jan Blachowicz.
However, following his second loss to Jones - this time via TKO - in late 2018, Gustafsson fell off a cliff of sorts.
The Swede lost to Anthony Smith in his next bout and then announced his retirement. He went back on this a year later, though, returning in a brief run as a heavyweight during the COVID-19 pandemic, only to lose to Fabricio Werdum.
'The Mauler' last fought in July 2022 in a knockout loss to Nikita Krylov, and for all intents and purposes, has vanished since.
Despite this, Gustafsson has not been cut by the UFC, and as recently as January, he revealed that he was back in training and was considering a return to action.
Whether the Swede does make a comeback remains to be seen, but if he does, it'll probably surprise plenty of fans who probably thought he'd long retired.
#4. Gregor Gillespie - UFC lightweight
High-level amateur wrestlers have traditionally been able to translate their success on the mat into success in the octagon. Just a handful of years ago, Gregor Gillespie looked like he was about to do the same.
'The Gift' came into the UFC in 2016 with a stellar reputation thanks to an NCAA Division I title in 2007, and it didn't take him long to make his mark.
Gillespie quickly rose up the ranks at lightweight, first beating lower-level foes before defeating trickier ones like Vinc Pichel and Yancy Medeiros. With toughness, tenacity and an endless gas tank to go with his wrestling, he looked destined for the top.
Unfortunately, a brutal head kick from Kevin Lee derailed him at the end of 2019, ending his unbeaten run. 'The Gift' then vanished for a year and a half, before returning to produce a thrilling comeback win over Carlos Diego Ferreira.
That was back in May 2021, though, and since then, not a peep has been heard from Gillespie, meaning many fans have probably forgotten about him.
Despite this, 'The Gift' remains on the roster. Will he ever return to action? It's honestly hard to say, as a 2022 Instagram post suggested he was willing to sit out and wait for a big fight, something that often doesn't sit well with Dana White and company.
In this case, then, it's hard to predict what the future holds for this forgotten star.
#3. Doo Ho Choi - UFC featherweight
Once considered one of the world's most highly touted featherweight prospects, Doo Ho Choi has now fought so sporadically in recent years that most fans have probably forgotten him.
'The Korean Superboy' remains on the UFC's roster, though, and while he's no longer a young gun at the age of 33, a stunning comeback wouldn't be impossible.
Choi burst onto the scene in the promotion back in 2014, but even then, he was a largely sporadic competitor, completing just three fights in his first three years in the octagon.
It was his wild 2016 brawl with Cub Swanson that really put him on the map, though. Even in losing, the fight turned Choi into a star with fans, and it has since been inducted into the UFC's Hall of Fame.
However, despite headlining his next fight after the famous brawl, the Korean has basically slipped off the radar entirely. He has only fought on three occasions since, suffering two losses and most recently fighting to a draw with Kyle Nelson.
That fight happened back in 2023, and given his last win came in 2016, you'd be forgiven for believing that he'd been cut a long time ago.
That's not the case, though, and 'The Korean Superboy' is now scheduled to fight Bill Algeo later this month. If he loses, his octagon career will likely be done - but if he wins, then who knows what he could do next.
#2. Gunnar Nelson - UFC welterweight
Back in 2014, any fighter with the slightest link to Conor McGregor instantly garnered a lot of hype. Given he already had a stellar reputation as a hot prospect, it was no surprise to see Gunnar Nelson - a sometime training partner of the Irishman - pushed as a star by the UFC.
By that point, of course, Nelson was already well-established in the octagon. The Icelandic grappler and karate expert held four wins in the promotion going into his first headliner, and while he lost that bout to veteran Rick Story, his future still seemed bright.
Unfortunately, 'Gunni' never quite reached his potential, with losses to the likes of Demian Maia and Leon Edwards preventing him from reaching the top.
The other thing that really stopped him from climbing into contention, though, was the fact that he essentially vanished from view after a loss to Gilbert Burns in 2019.
Since then, Nelson has fought twice, pulling off two wins. Unfortunately, the fact that he followed both wins with lengthy absences has meant that many fans probably don't realise he's still on the roster today.
Right now, Nelson does not have a fight booked, with a rumored clash against Michael Chiesa not coming to fruition. With nothing in the pipeline, it appears that 'Gunni' will remain a forgotten man, despite his spot on the roster still being warm.
#1. Nick Diaz - former UFC welterweight title challenger
Given his status as one of the most popular - and infamous - fighters in MMA history, it'd be difficult for Nick Diaz to ever fly under the radar.
However, that's what the one-time UFC welterweight title challenger appears to be doing right now.
Remarkably, Diaz is set to return to action in August, and yet his bout with Vicente Luque has barely been mentioned. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise if many fans had forgotten he was still on the active roster.
That's largely because it's been so long since the Stockton-based fighter fought, and even longer since he actually won a bout in the octagon.
Diaz's last bout saw him look like a shadow of his former self. He was TKO'd by fellow veteran Robbie Lawler in a sad showing in 2021, and most observers hoped he'd retire afterwards.
To find Diaz's last victory, you've got to go all the way back to 2011, when he returned triumphantly to the UFC to defeat B.J. Penn.
In all honesty, it's hard to imagine Diaz finding any success against Luque next month. In many ways, it'd be better if he were to end up forced out of the fight entirely, and with his history, it wouldn't be shocking to see that happen.
Essentially, until he steps into the octagon on August 3, it'll be easy for fans to forget that Diaz remains part of the UFC's roster. Sadly for the veteran, that's probably because he honestly shouldn't be there at this stage.
