According to a report by FOX Sports, Brandon Vera, who once promised to hold a belt in two weight classes in the UFC, has been released by the promotion - or two be more specific, the two sides have "cut ties." Vera started his tenure with the company in 2005, at Ultimate Fight Night 2 where he won via KO against Fabiano Scherner. After a 3-0 run at heavyweight, it was announced that his next match, against Frank Mir, would be a title eliminator. It looked like Vera's promise of holding two belts would have a chance of coming to fruition - especially after he won the Mir fight by TKO. However, a contract dispute saw him lose his shot at the belt. He would then suffer the first two losses of his career, to Tim Sylvia and Fabricio Werdum, before dropping to light heavyweight. He would go 4-4 (1) at light heavyweight before heading back to heavyweight only to lose to former IFL fighter Ben Rothwell last summer. Vera has not fought since, though it was believed the UFC might keep him in their ranks after Rothwell tested positive for high testosterone. The loss was not overturned by the Wisconsin athletic commission, as they chose only to warn the fighter, but the UFC opted to suspend Rothwell on its own. Vera would still be a solid name for a smaller organization to pick up, so expect to see his career continue elsewhere.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
