Fabricio Werdum signs with PFL

Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum has decided to take his talents to the Professional Fighters League as he’s signed with PFL.

Werdum recently became a free agent after his UFC contract expired following a submission win over Alexander Gustafsson on Fight Island. Despite being 43 years old, Werdum received plenty of interest in free agency and it looked like he was bound to sign with Bellator rematch Fedor Emelianenko. However, Werdum on Monday announced that he has decided to sign with PFL and compete in its 2021 heavyweight tournament. The Brazilian hinted last week that he could sign with PFL, and now it’s official.

ESPN’s Brett Okamoto first broke the news that Werdum was signed with PFL. According to “Vai Cavalo,” the opportunity to fight more frequently in 2021 appealed to him.

“It was a very good negotiation with them, and I know this event is getting very strong. I have fought for 23 years and this is my dream. I want to fight maybe twice in one night. I love the idea. You have one fight, you win, you go again,” Werdum said.

“Maybe this (coming) year, 2021, I fight four or five fights. This is my dream. In the past, sometimes, (I fought) just one in a year, maybe two. I want to enjoy the moment because it’s so hard for us to stop fighting. Imagine, all my life I have fought, and one day, I have to stop. For sure, I know that. Maybe two years. But imagine I’m the PFL champion at (age) 44? I know I can.”

Terms of the deal were not announced, but you can imagine Werdum will be guaranteed a lucrative purse in addition to winning another $1 million if he wins the promotion’s next heavyweight tournament in 2021. Other fighters in the PFL heavyweight division include former UFC fighters Justin Willis and Jared Rosholt, and other free agents will be signed.

How do you think Fabricio Werdum will fare in PFL?