I remember the excitement I felt last week when the news came out that DREAM bantamweight champion Bibiano Fernandes had signed a deal with the UFC and would be debuting at UFC 149 against Roland Delorme.
Fernandes, after all, was one of the brightest free agents in the world, and signing him was a big coup for the UFC’s bantamweight division.
I was less excited yesterday when it was reported that Fernandes had pulled out of the Delorme bout with an injury.
And I’m completely bummed out today. Why? I’ll let Fernandes himself tell you, via Fighter’s Only:
I would like to make perfectly clear the news concerning my involvement with the UFC. It was announced that I, Bibiano Fernandes have been contracted to fight for the organization at UFC 149 which will take place in the city of Calgary on the 21st of July. I would like to make it clear that I am not a UFC athlete as I did not sign any contract with the UFC organization.
Negotiations between the UFC and myself did take place, however, we could not resolve the issues on the table and as a result we did not come to an agreement. The recent reports that have been circulating in the media are false, contrary to what is being said, I am not a UFC athlete.
What just happened?
So Fernandes isn’t just out of the bout with Delorme—he never signed a contract to fight in the UFC to begin with? That’s weird.
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