In the fight game, it’s extremely rare to see an athlete released during a 3-1 run inside the cage, but that’s exactly what happened to Bellator welterweight Ben Saunders on Monday.

MMA Mania broke the story, providing a quote from Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney on the unique situation.

"I've been a 'Killa B' fan for years, and Ben’s given 100 percent of his heart every single time he’s stepped into the Bellator cage,” Rebney said in a written statement.

“After competing in three Bellator tournaments, Ben could never get to the top of that mountain, and as we continue to grow and expand I spoke to Ben and we both decided it was time to move in a different direction, so we provided Ben his complete release."

Saunders sent out a tweet last night essentially confirming everything his now former boss said.

“I want to thank @BjornRebney for letting me go. I fullfilled my contract and I wanted to be a free agent again. The future is bright! :),” The American Top Team fighter wrote.

Saunders compiled a 7-3 record inside the Bellator cage, competing in the seasons 5, 6 and 8 welterweight tournaments.

He made it to the finals in both season 5 and season 8, suffering a brutal knockout at the hands of Douglas Lima on each occasion.

Saunders competed in the UFC between December 2007 and August 2010, notching a 4-3 record overall but getting cut after going 1-3 in his final four bouts with the company.

At 30 years old with 24 professional fights under his belt, it remains to be seen if “Killa B” will get any looks from the World Series of Fighting or the UFC as a free agent.