Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion, Fabricio Werdum, is getting back to his grappling roots in a combat jiu-jitsu showdown opposite Gordon Ryan on Feb. 22, 2019 in Monterrey, Mexico.
Werdum is currently serving a disciplinary suspension from United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), handed down back in September. “Vai Cavalo” tested positive for the anabolic steroid trenbolone and its metabolite epitrenbolone last April, booting the Brazilian from his Alexey Oleynik fight in Moscow, Russia.
Urine under the bridge at this point.
While Werdum is a decorated jiu-jitsu fighter with a pair of medals from Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC), so is Ryan, boasting 46 submissions in 54 wins. The New Jersey native holds victories over Dillon Danis and Josh Barnett, just to name a few.
Elsewhere on Monterrey’s “Fight Night” card, former UFC light heavyweight, Vinny Magalhaes, is expected to return to action, according to Eddie Bravo. Additional match ups will be announced in the coming weeks.