Former UFC lightweight champion turned WEC featherweight contender Jens Pulver has apparently seen his last days as a mixed martial artist under the Zuffa banner.
MMA Fighting has confirmed an earlier report that "Little Evil" has been released from his WEC contract.
After flirting with retirement in late 2009, Pulver (22-13-1) returned to the cage and was submitted by Javier Vasquez at WEC 47: "Bowles vs. Cruz" back on March 6. It was his seventh loss in eight fights and extended his losing streak to five.
There were discussions to retain Pulver in a WEC broadcasting role but UFC President Dana White has indicated that will no longer be an option.
"He's has been released. We had talked about Jens being a part of the WEC somehow, but he's not broadcasting."
Pulver is perhaps best known for his lightweight victory over BJ Penn at UFC 35: "Throwdown" way back in July of 2002. They rematched five years later at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Finale but "The Prodigy" would avenge his loss via rear naked choke.
It was Pulver's second straight loss inside the Octagon and the catalyst for his move to the WEC. Unfortunately he would post a 1-5 record there and be finished in four of those five defeats.
The thirty-five-year-old MMA pioneer has recently indicated that he intends to keep fighting out of financial necessity.
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