It’s not just UFC fighters who are testing their value in the free agency market.
We’ve seen a growing trend in the past 12 months of UFC fighters stalling on contract renewals so that they can get the best deal possible from different promoters.
Aljamain Sterling and Rory MacDonald have toyed with the idea while Matt Mitrione and Benson Henderson, top contenders in their respective weight classes, have bitten the bullet by moving to Bellator.
And we could be about to see one fighter move in the opposite direction with the news emerging on Saturday that Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks (17-1) had been released by the promotion.
Brooks, who is universally considered one of the best 155 lbers on the planet, has been allowed to pursue free agency according to MMAJunkie.com.
“It was very simple,” Bellator president Scott Coker said. “Will Brooks’ contract is ending, and we made a decision not to renew it. We’re going to give him a full release, so we’re not going to be in the Will Brooks business any longer.”
Being that I'm a magnet for trouble, my coaches and management have requested that I remove myself from twitter. pic.twitter.com/vKnkyvnNAU
— Will Brooks (@ILLxWillBrooks) May 11, 2016
Brooks had previously revealed his intentions to explore his options when his contract with Bellator ran up this summer and it’s likely that the UFC will be just one of many promotions eager to sign him up.
And if the UFC do manage to tempt Brooks over, the lightweight division’s status as the most stacked in the promotion can be in no doubt whatsoever with challengers like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Eddie Alvarez, Tony Ferguson, Edson Barboza, Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz all circling the waters of Rafael dos Anjos’ 155 lb title.
