Canadian middleweight Elias Theodorou has been released by the UFC.

A report from Brazilian outlet Combate reported the news early Sunday and TSN confirmed the report with a UFC official.

No reason for Theodorou’s release was given.

The release comes as a surprise to many, as Theodorou was considered by many to be among the top Canadians in the promotion.

Theodorou had recently fallen out of the middleweight division’s top-15 rankings following a loss to Derek Brunson in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night in Ottawa earlier this month.

Theodorou won The Ultimate Fighter: Nations, a special season of the show that had Canadian athletes competing with Australians in the welterweight and middleweight divisions.

In his time with the UFC, Theodorou mounted an 8-3 record, which is another reason why his sudden release comes as a surprise to many.

Outside of competing in the UFC, Theodorou was the first ever “ring boy” for the all-female promotion Invicta FC and was also working with the US Anti-Doping Agency, who oversee the UFC’s year-round drug testing, to receive the first therapeutic use exemption for in-competition cannabis for medical reasons.

Theodorou and his management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.