Fabricio Werdum's Professional Fighters League return set for June 24

After much speculation regarding a potential comeback or perhaps even retirement, Fabricio Werdum has decided that he is not yet ready to call it a career.

Werdum told Sherdog’s Marcelo Alonso Monday morning that he will return to the Professional Fighters League on June 24 and take part in the organization’s 2022 heavyweight bracket.

“After 24 years of fighting I needed a year off to recover,” said Werdum. “I needed to feel hungry to train and fight again and that's what I'm feeling now. I told my manager Ali Abdelaziz that I’ll be ready to fight anyone they choose on June 24.”

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight king revealed that while he was away he received a couple of proposals box, but always decided to honor his contract with the PFL.

“I have a great respect for PFL and everything they did for me here and I want to reciprocate and show them my best version. I’m the only fighter in the world who conquered the triple crown, and twice each: I was two times ADCC champion, two times World BJJ champion and two times UFC champion (interim against Mark Hunt and linear against Cain Velasquez) … Now my ultimate goal is to get the PFL title.”

According to Werdum, 44, he is training in Florianopolis, Brazil, but is planning to fly as soon as possible to California to finish the camp at Kings MMA.

“Kings is my team, it´s the place where I have the best sparring. And I want to be very well trained for my return on June 24.”