Feb 26, 2016; London, United Kingdom; Norman Parke during weigh-ins for UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Dublin, Ireland; Norman Parke (red gloves) competes against Reza Madadi (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at 3 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Dublin, Ireland; Norman Parke (red gloves) competes against Reza Madadi (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at 3 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Dublin, Ireland; Norman Parke (red gloves) competes against Reza Madadi (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at 3 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Dublin, Ireland; Norman Parke (red gloves) competes against Reza Madadi (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at 3 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Dublin, Ireland; Norman Parke (red gloves) competes against Reza Madadi (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at 3 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Dublin, Ireland; Norman Parke (red gloves) competes against Reza Madadi (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at 3 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Dublin, Ireland; Norman Parke (red gloves) competes against Reza Madadi (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at 3 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2015; Goiania, GO, Brazil; Norman Parke (blue gloves) reacts during his fight with Francisco Trinaldo during UFC Fight Night at Goiania Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2015; Goiania, GO, Brazil; Francisco Trinaldo (red gloves) fights Norman Parke (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Goiania Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2015; Goiania, GO, Brazil; Francisco Trinaldo (red gloves) fights Norman Parke (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Goiania Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2015; Goiania, GO, Brazil; Francisco Trinaldo (red gloves) fights Norman Parke (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Goiania Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2015; Goiania, GO, Brazil; Francisco Trinaldo (red gloves) fights Norman Parke (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Goiania Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2015; Goiania, GO, Brazil; Francisco Trinaldo (red gloves) fights Norman Parke (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Goiania Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2015; Goiania, GO, Brazil; Norman Parke (blue gloves) enters the ring before his fight with Francisco Trinaldo during UFC Fight Night at Goiania Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2015; Goiania, GO, Brazil; Norman Parke (blue gloves) reacts before his fight with Francisco Trinaldo during UFC Fight Night at Goiania Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Norman Parke after a fight against Gleison Tibau during UFC Fight Night at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Norman Parke after his match with Gleison Tibau (not pictured) at UFC Fight Night at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Norman Parke (left) fights against Gleison Tibau during UFC Fight Night at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Norman Parke (red) and Gleison Tibau (blue) compete during a lightweight bout at UFC Fight Night at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
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“The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” winner Norman Parke is looking for a new promotional home.
The veteran lightweight announced his UFC release on Friday. In a Facebook post, he thanked the UFC, where he’s fought since 2012, for “giving me the great opportunity to compete at the highest level in combat sports”:
Parke (21-5-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC) won “TUF: The Smashes,” which featured a Team U.K. vs. Team Australia theme for the international edition of the reality-competition show, in 2012. Parke, a 29-year-old from Northern Ireland, claimed the show championship after posting decision victories over Richie Vaculik, Brendan Loughnane and Colin Fletcher.
While the first two “TUF” wins were technically exhibition bouts, the victory over Fletcher is part of his pro record, and it kicked off a promising 4-0-1 start to his UFC career. However, Parke subsequently went 1-3 in the organization with split-decision losses to Gleison Tibau and Francisco Trinaldo (nearly every major media outlet scored the latter fight for Parke, via MMADecisions.com), a unanimous-decision win over Reza Madadi, and a recent unanimous-decision loss to Rustam Khabilov in February.
Parke frequently competed on the UFC’s international cards. He fought just twice in the U.S. during nine UFC appearances, but he fought four times in Europe, twice in Brazil and once in Australia.
With his name recognition, age and European appeal, Parke could likely find himself back in the UFC with a few wins on the regional scene.
For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
Filed under: News, UFC
