Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum is no longer part of the UFC roster.
The 43-year-old Brazilian has signed with Proffesional Fighters League and will make his debut there in April 2021. He entered free agency after a Performance of the Night showing on UFC’s Fight Island which saw him submit Alexander Gustafsson by armbar in the first round.
The ink has dried! 🖊️
Welcome to PFL, @FabricioWerdum 🤝🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/rpoLFtUqk2
— PFL MMA (@ProFightLeague) November 16, 2020
Werdum and the PFL came to terms on an exclusive deal that will have the Brazilian competing for the 2021 PFL Heavyweight Championship beginning in the spring of next year.
“I am excited to announce Fabricio Werdum, the Tom Brady of MMA, has signed with the Professional Fighters League,” said Peter Murray, CEO of the PFL. “Fabricio is one of the greatest heavyweights of all time and knows when he steps into the PFL cage this coming season, it is more than a fight. The PFL sport season format provides an opportunity to control his destiny, like all PFL fighters, with a transparent shot to earn another major global title and the PFL million dollar champions belt.”
The veteran is considered to be one of the very best MMA heavyweight fighters of all time. He has defeated people like Fedor Emelianenko, Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem, Minotauro Nogueira, Mark Hunt, Travis Browne, Gabriel Gonzaga, Antônio Silva, Alexander Gustafsson, and Roy Nelson.