Fabricio Werdum wants to be free, officially requests UFC release because USADA is unfair

Earlier this week, mixed martial arts (MMA) manager Ali Abdelaziz revealed that his client, Fabricio Werdum, would likely be done with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) after he was suspended by United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) until 2020.

And now the former UFC Heavyweight champion has confirmed that notion, saying he has requested to be released from his contract.

“My idea is to do the right thing, which would be rescind my contract with the UFC,” Werdum said in an interview with PVT (via MMA Fighting). “Ali is a manager that defends us really well. He has a lot of famous fighters, many people, and to me he’s the best manager right now, the one with the best direct contact with the UFC.”

Werdum is currently serving a two-year suspension handed down by United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) back in September. The Brazilian submission specialist tested positive for the anabolic steroid trenbolone and its metabolite epitrenbolone. As a result, he was forced out of his fight against Alexey Oleynik fight in Moscow, Russia.

“Vai Cavalo” isn’t eligible to fight for UFC until May 2020. Werdum, though, doesn’t want to wait that long to compete.

”What I would really like right now is to be free, that the UFC would have consideration with me and release me,” Werdum said. “It’s a matter of Ali talking with (White) now. Ali really has a good friendship with Dana White. It’s not only up to Dana. They always say that, and I go talk to someone else and they say it’s not only up to them as well, it’s that game. I obviously love fighting in the UFC, but after this (situation), this unfair doping, I would like to fight in other promotions.”

Is normal.

Speaking of Russia, Werdum says he is willing to sign an agreement with UFC that he will no longer fight stateside.

”I already told the UFC, I’ll sign a term that I would not fight in the United States anymore,” Werdum said. “I’d fight overseas, Japan, Russia, Europe, wherever, but I wouldn’t fight in the United States to cause no harm. I would sign that to be released. I just want to be free to do what I want, which is fight. It’s not about money. I still have a lot to show. I’m 41, but I feel like a kid.”

According to Werdum, the promotion isn’t so keen on letting him go so easily, revealing that UFC wants him to return once he completes his suspension to fulfill the final two fights on his contract.

Werdum was last seen getting knocked out by Alexander Volkov at UFC Fight Night 127 this past March in London.