Fabricio Werdum Fired By UFC? Huh?

MMAWeekly.com is reporting that the UFC is giving heavyweight contender Fabricio Werdum the boot following his first-round knockout loss to newcomer Junior Dos Santos at UFC 91:

Sources tell MMAWeekly.com that Werdum's exit comes on the heels of a failed contract renegotiation following the loss to dos Santos. The Brazilian came into the fight with the expectation that he would soon be contending for a heavyweight title shot.

The knockout at UFC 90 derailed anything of the like in the near future, and spurred a renegotiation of his contract. Werdum and the UFC were apparently unable to come to an agreement. He has already opened talks with other promotions in the U.S. and Japan.

Assuming this report is true, I can't imagine the justifications the UFC is making for Brandon Vera, who has retained his status as one of the UFC's highest-paid fighters despite putting up a string of lousy performances.

The prospect of Werdum being fired by the UFC doesn't bode well for the promotion's thin heavyweight division, but at the end of the day, Werdum just isn't very marketable, especially following the loss to Dos Santos. But this move is a bit disturbing and it sends a clear message to fighter that the UFC won't ever hesitate to turn on anyone at the drop of a hat.