Brandon Vera, UFC part ways after 8-year run
Brandon Vera and the UFC have parted ways after a run that spanned more than eight years.
Vera's release was never publicly announced, but sources with knowledge of his contract situation confirmed to FOX Sports that the 36-year-old is no longer under a UFC deal.
The split ends one of the most mercurial careers in recent UFC history.
Vera burst upon the scene in Oct. 2005, defeating Fabiano Scherner via TKO in the first of four consecutive victories, a streak that emboldened him to infamously promise that he would hold two UFC title belts at the same time.
He never even fought for the title.
Vera was at one time slated to fight for the UFC heavyweight championship, but a contract dispute put his career on ice in the fall of 2006. By the time it was resolved, nearly a year had gone by, and Vera was never able to recapture his previous magic and reach the high bar he'd set for himself.
As a light-heavyweight, he had memorable fights with Randy Couture, Jon Jones and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Unfortunately, he lost all of them, with the defeat to Jones coming in swift and devastating fashion, resulting in three facial fractures.
In 16 UFC outings, Vera had a record of 8-7 with 1 no contest.
In his last fight, a heavyweight match with Ben Rothwell, he lost via third-round TKO. Afterward, however, Rothwell tested positive for an elevated testosterone level and was suspended by the promotion. As a result, it was believed that Vera's job would be saved, as it once was after Thiago Silva defeated him in Jan. 2011, only to fail a drug test.
In that particular instance, the UFC had cut him but rescinded the cut and reinstated his contract. This time, the two sides have cut ties.
Vera has only won one time in his last six outings, and leaves the promotion with a career mark of 12-7 with 1 no contest.
