‘TUF 13’ Semi-Finalist O’Neil Released by UFC

“I was officially released by the UFC today,” O’Neil wrote on Facebook. “I will continue to work hard to improve myself as a person and a fighter every day. I will make it back there, because the UFC is where I belong. Thank you to everyone for your continued support, and there will be a fight coming soon with a much improved performance ... I promise!”

A cast member on the 13th season of Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter,” O’Neil was brought aboard the reality show as an alternate after season-favorite Myles Jury sustained a knee injury. “Cold Steel” would drop his first bout after joining the cast, falling by triangle choke to Zach Davis.

O’Neil rebounded from the defeat, however, submitting Javier Torres in the season’s wild-card bout to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. The 25-year-old went on to avenge his loss by battering Davis for two rounds en route to a trip to the semifinals, where eventual finalist Tony Ferguson would outclass the Massachussets native, ending O’Neil’s run on the show.

O’Neil’s lone official Octagon appearance came at the “TUF 13” Finale on June 4, where he was outworked by fellow semi-finalist Chris Cope for three rounds in a unanimous decision defeat.