Fabricio Werdum Signs With PFL MMA

The former UFC Heavyweight Champion tested free agency following his submission victory over Alexander Gustafsson. Werdum had expressed interest in fighting Fedor Emelianenko a second time. Emelianenko is under the Bellator banner. While it appeared Werdum would favor Bellator, that ended up not being the case.

Today, November 16, PFL announced that Werdum has signed with the promotion for the 2021 season. Here’s what CEO Peter Murray had to say in a press release.

“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.”

PFL President Ray Sefo added the following.

“Adding a fighter at the world champion caliber of Fabricio Werdum is next level for the Professional Fighters League,” said Ray Sefo, President of PFL Fighter Operations. “I know the rest of the league’s heavyweight fighters are as excited as I am with Fabricio joining the PFL for the 2021 season starting in April.”

Werdum has cited being more active as the reason why he wanted to sign with PFL. At the age of 43, “Vai Cavalo” realizes that he doesn’t have much time left in his pro MMA career.