Werdum leaves UFC

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Following a rocky time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, capped by a surprising knockout loss to Octagon newcomer Junior dos Santos at UFC 90, Chute Boxe fighter Fabricio Werdum has left the promotion.

Sources tell MMAWeekly.com that Werdum's exit comes on the heels of a failed contract renegotiation following the loss to dos Santos. The Brazilian came into the fight with the expectation that he would soon be contending for a heavyweight title shot.

The knockout at UFC 90 derailed anything of the like in the near future, and spurred a renegotiation of his contract. Werdum and the UFC were apparently unable to come to an agreement. He has already opened talks with other promotions in the U.S. and Japan.

After losing his opening salvo in the UFC to Andrei Arlovski, Werdum put together back-to-back impressive victories with TKOs of Gabriel Gonzaga and Brandon Vera, effectively positioning him as one of the top contenders in the promotion's heavyweight division.

Current champion Randy Couture faces Brock Lesnar at UFC 91 on Saturday and interim heavyweight titleholder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira defends against Frank Mir on Dec. 27 at UFC 92. The winners of those two fights are expected to fight in early 2009, as a unification bout to the UFC mini-tournament.

Had Werdum taken care of business against dos Santos, he was expected to be in contention to face the unified heavyweight champion later in the year. Now it appears he will be moving on to another promotion such as Affliction in the U.S. or Dream or Sengoku in Japan.

To think had he won that fight he'd be next in line for a title shot.....

Nothingcompares

seems like a rash decision, surely werdum has plenty of fights left in him.

how many fights are left on his current contract? or does he not have to fulfill them like crocop?

i think werdum is a dangerous fighter to any hw, maybe not the most exciting. if he comes in shape i think he can trouble the big names.

dunkamania

I am surprised by this move. Affliciton looks uncertain, he doesnt have the personality to make it big in Japan, doesnt make much sense.

dlofnep

He came into that fight out of shape and paid the price for it.

Fozzy

It's not that big a surprise. There was talk months ago of how Werdum wanted a big contract and the UFC wouldn't offer him one because they didn't think that he was worth it yet. And he's worth even less now after that KO. The smart move for him would've been to sign the contract back in the summer

dunkamania

http://www.fightlinker.com/fabricio-doesnt-know.mma

“I’m surprised with this news. My sister is my manager and shes the one that deal with the UFC and she always contact me first before every decision is made and from what I know UFC didn’t contacted her. I still have 4 more fights left on my contract until 2010. From what they told me I should fight in February, July, November and April of 2010. In fact, I’m moving to the USA because I’ll prepare for those fights in the UFC with Rafael Cordeiro.” said Werdum that is finishing all the details to move to USA in December…


Dont know if its out of date

Nothingcompares

I read this last night too. wonder what the real story is?

Fozzy

The Wrestling Observer reported that he was simply cut because the UFC didn't feel that he was worth his salary. For a win he would be paid $220,000 in total, and for a few reasons, main one being his loss, they cut him. The feeling was that for that money he'd have to be able to main event or semi-main event a show. They didn't offer him a lower contract either

He had four fights left on his contract

Pride Fighter

Fozzy wrote: »

The Wrestling Observer reported that he was simply cut because the UFC didn't feel that he was worth his salary. For a win he would be paid $220,000 in total, and for a few reasons, main one being his loss, they cut him. The feeling was that for that money he'd have to be able to main event or semi-main event a show. They didn't offer him a lower contract either

He had four fights left on his contract

What is the story there? Will he leave with nothing or will he get a golden handshake? If I was cut from the UFC and deprived of the possibility of 880,000$ I'd take them straight to the courts.

Fozzy

Fozzy wrote: »

The Wrestling Observer reported that he was simply cut because the UFC didn't feel that he was worth his salary. For a win he would be paid $220,000 in total, and for a few reasons, main one being his loss, they cut him. The feeling was that for that money he'd have to be able to main event or semi-main event a show. They didn't offer him a lower contract either

He had four fights left on his contract

That kind of nonsense is what gives the UFC a bad name in terms of their attitude to paying fighters. It is a business but in business there is such thing as ethics and this is, frankly, unethical. Werdum wasn't negotiating or fighting elsewhere due to his UFC contract being exclusive. Sometimes the UFC are all take and no give.