Recently Cut Fighter Given 2nd Chance
Light heavyweight Brandon Vera is still a UFC fighter.
Vera (11-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) was cut by the promotion this past month following his third consecutive loss, which came against Thiago Silva (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at UFC 125.
However, it has been learned that the result of that bout is expected to be changed to a "no contest" following additional scrutiny of Silva's post-fight drug test, and the promotion has rescinded Vera's release, sources close to the event told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
FiveOuncesofPain.com first reported Vera's return as a possibility earlier today.
As of now, Vera merely is back on the roster and does not have a pending booking. Until this past week, he was medically suspended for a broken nose he sustained in the third round of the Silva fight, which took place Jan. 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
MMAjunkie.com earlier reported that the Nevada State Athletic Commission still is processing the drug-test results for one of the athletes who competed on the Jan. 1 event, and that athlete is believed to be Silva.
If Silva is confirmed to have failed his post-fight drug test, the NSAC is likely to issue him a suspension and fine, as well as changing the result of the Jan. 1 fight to a "no contest."
The Brazilian slugger was set to meet Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 130 but since has been replaced by Matt Hamill.
Vera spoke about his struggles to return to form as the fight with Silva approached and knew he was in a make-or-break situation.
"When I first came in here as a young kid, guns blazing, you learn a lot," Vera told MMAjunkie.com at the pre-event press conference for UFC 125. "Life experiences, fighting experiences, I've learned a lot.
"My team got on me. My coaches got on me. People smacked me around and told me to get it together. I think I got it together."
Unfortunately, things didn't go Vera's way during the fight. Silva dominated the fight when it hit the mat and earned a unanimous-decision win with two scores of 30-27 and one of 30-26.
Vera made his octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 2 as a heavyweight and quickly racked up wins over Frank Mir, Assuerio Silva, Justin Eilers and Fabiano Scherner. But he hit a roadblock with back-to-back losses against Tim Sylvia and Fabricio Werdum, and shortly afterward, he dropped to the light-heavyweight division. There, he met mixed results with a record of 3-1 before his recent slide
