Heavyweight Austen Lane could be looking at a UFC release.
The heavy hitters were out at UFC Nashville on Saturday as UFC knockout king Derrick Lewis battled the 6’7″ skyscraper Tallison Teixeira in the main event of the evening.
The main card saw light heavyweight Tuco Tokkos save his UFC career by rebounding from back-to-back losses with a comeback submission.
In the fight after, Austen Lane tried to get back on track himself, but the former NFL star ultimately failed against a fighter making their heavyweight debut.
UFC heavyweight Austen Lane during Kansas City Chiefs game in NFL
Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images
Austen Lane suffers back-to-back losses against Vitor Petrino at UFC Nashville
Lane, a former defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears, was taken down easily by opponent Vitor Petrino for his second straight loss in 2025.
Petrino took Lane down a little more than a minute into the opening round and grabbed a hold of his back minutes later.
Petrino secured a rear-naked choke to tap out Lane, handing him the first submission loss of his career.
Lane was Petrino’s heavyweight debut, which he passed with flying colors to get back in the win column after a couple of losses at light heavyweight to Anthony Smith and Dustin Jacoby.
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Austen Lane in danger of being released by UFC
Lane might not have a UFC future after Nashville.
Since signing to the premier promotion off Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022, Lane has won only once in the Octagon—a unanimous decision effort over Karate Combat killer Robelis Despaigne last October.
Lane now has a record of 1-4 (1 NC) in the UFC after Petrino, his fourth stoppage defeat (sixth overall).
The 37-year-old NFL veteran could be on the UFC’s chopping block, following the latest batch of fighters released from the promotion.