Despite winning his UFC debut and being scheduled to fight at UFC 134: Rio in August, Brazilian middleweight Maiquel Falcao has reportedly been released by the UFC stemming from his recent legal troubles.
“This news got us by surprise and let us very shocked, mainly after we signed to fight at UFC Rio,” Falcao’s manager told Tatame. “Besides the sadness, we respect UFC’s decision and hope to return to the biggest event on the planet soon.”
Falcao (26-3) topped Gerald Harris in his UFC debut in November and was slated to face Tom Lawlor at UFC 134 following an undisclosed injury that prevented him from taking on Alessio Sakara in March.
He was arrested in December in Brazil on a warrant from 2002 for allegedly assaulting a woman outside a nightclub.
For the latest UFC news and UFC rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.
Latest
Behold the power of promotability.
Chael Sonnen is facing all sorts of AC entanglements in at least 2 different states, both of which could be considered Zuffa’s backyard, plus the money laundering bit in Oregon, and the UFC is cool letting the chips fall where they may.
Falcao is dealing with some decade-old nightclub legal beef in a foreign country, and the UFC cuts him loose.
Difference between Sonnen and Falcao??
Promotability…
That, or the fact that he’s arrested.
difference is blue-collar and white-collar crimes. physically harming innocent people, whether they deserve it or not, is frowned upon more in this society, as opposed to laundering money in a mortgage scam. Chael being more publicly known in the MMA world doesn’t hurt either.
i feel like there has to be something else going on with falcao than this. tito was arrested for similar charges a lot more recently than this guy was and he did not recieve any kind of punishment. i realize the promotability does play a part but how can u make the argument that falcao is not promotable? he is a brazilian fighter who has a lot of potential to be a contender especially in the middleweight division. something else has to be going on
i would agree on both parts, UFC was unjust in that counceling of a lack luster decision… falco should stay, if sonnen gets to stay, then falco should stay… a big boo on the ufc
Or maybe it’s because Falcoa was arrested for “alleged” beating of a woman….Or maybe because of a couple of his fights prior to UFC where he continued to beat on his opponent well after the match was called with the referee trying to pull him off………Now I agree that something that happen back in ’02 shouldn’t get him cut now, and I was looking forward to seeing him in the octagon again, but please do not compare what he’s done to what Chael did
Not a great example set by the UFC he should be suspended until the allegation is resolved and he’s proved guilty. Chael Sonnen and Thiago Silva have both been found guilty of serious offences recently yet they are only suspended and haven’t been released.
Can’t be one rule for one and one for another!
I was looking forward to seeing this guy fight again..too bad
The man has skill, no doubt.
I’m pretty sure you’re going to see this guy fight again somewhere, assuming he’s not hit with a stretch in some Brazilian lock-up…
So does that mean
Scott Coker can sign Maiquel Falcao or does he have to
Go
Through it
With the big cheese. IMO Falcao has some great potential.
If he is no longer under a UFC contract, he is free to be signed by Strikeforce.
this guy could have given Anderson hell.
Absolute shambles
Sadly the ufc is losing the plot ….
As a UFC fan, I gotta say this announcement is dissapointing given Falco’s skill set and potential, howver there may be more to this that we are unaware of…I just hope UFC made the right decision.
I guess only they know.
Very intrigueing fighter though I must say.
NO!! This guy was a beast! This is crazy..
Chael Sonnen is a steroid cheat and a convicted felon with double digit losses. The UFC will still keep him on payroll because he has a big mouth and sells fights. Let the UFC keep stealing your money every ppv not mine.