{"id":331288,"date":"2019-11-07T13:00:49","date_gmt":"2019-11-07T21:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/?p=331288"},"modified":"2019-11-07T14:28:14","modified_gmt":"2019-11-07T22:28:14","slug":"curtis-millender-discusses-ufc-release-reveals-he-signed-with-bellator-and-has-fight-booked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/mma-news\/exclusive-interviews\/curtis-millender-discusses-ufc-release-reveals-he-signed-with-bellator-and-has-fight-booked\/","title":{"rendered":"Curtis Millender discusses UFC release, reveals he signed with Bellator and has fight booked"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was recently announced that Curtis Millender was released from the UFC after going 3-2 in the promotion. He was coming off back-to-back losses, yet those losses were to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos and Belal Muhammad, who are borderline top-15 fighters.<\/p>\n

Millender isn’t upset about getting cut<\/a> but does have a chip on his shoulder now.<\/p>\n

“I think that was the biggest shock for me. Just the body of work that I had in the UFC and when they cut me,” Millender said to BJPENN.com in his first interview since being released. “Even the guys I fought with the exception of dos Santos, they all had lost two in a row before, somewhere in their UFC tenure. It was just very confusing for me. I’m not upset, I’m not bitter, but I would be lying if I didn’t have a chip on his shoulder.”<\/p>\n

Although he isn’t upset about getting cut, he is confused. He knows he is UFC-calibre and still should be fighting inside the Octagon<\/a>. Yet he was told the promotion has too many fighters so given he was on a losing streak his services were no longer needed.<\/p>\n

“I got a couple of different reasons. They said losing two at welterweight because the division is so stacked. I was told that in July, then they said there were too many guys on the roster,” he explained. “Look, I understand I lost two in a row, but what baffles me is we just saw James Vick basically get murdered four fights in a row. It is crazy, I just don’t understand. Even those two fights I lost, I took both of them on short notice. Three of the five fights in the UFC I took on short notice. I only fought tough guys, didn’t take any easy fights. As soon as I came in I was thrown to the fire.”<\/p>\n

Even though Curtis Millender was released, he says he and the promotion are on good terms and there is a chance he fights in the UFC again.<\/p>\n

“They told me to win a couple and come back. That is why I only want to fight quality guys and show them the UFC is where I am supposed to be,” he said. “I have never taken an easy fight, my body of work speaks for itself. I just want to keep fighting and get my job back.”<\/p>\n

After this twist of fate, Millender had to do what is best for him and he has already signed with Bellator and has a fight booked. He only signed a one-fight deal as he wants to keep his options open but is open to a long-term deal with Bellator if the money is right.<\/p>\n

“I will be fighting for Bellator, on Jan. 23. We are working on the opponent as I had some people pull out already. I was supposed to fight Joe Schilling but he pulled out,” Millender revealed. “I’m working on some things and they are finding me an opponent. I have been asking for a fight every week for three or four months before I got released. So, I’ve been ready to fight for a while now.\u201d<\/p>\n

This will be Millender\u2019s third stint in Bellator and fifth fight overall, as he is currently 2-2 in the promotion. He is looking at this next Bellator fight as a chance to show Bellator, the UFC, and ONE Championship that he is worthy of a long-term deal, as he is just looking to get paid regardless of the promotion.<\/p>\n

“Wherever the best money is. Of course, I want to be in the UFC and be the best in the world and win the belt. But, I have a family to take care of,” he concluded.<\/p>\n

What do you make of Curtis Millender being released from the UFC and signing with Bellator?<\/p>\n

This article first appeared on\u00a0<\/i>BJPENN.COM<\/i><\/span><\/a>\u00a0on 11\/7\/2019.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was recently announced that Curtis Millender was released from the UFC after going 3-2 in the promotion. He was coming off back-to-back losses, yet those losses were to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos and Belal Muhammad, who are borderline top-15 fighters. Millender isn’t upset about getting cut but does have a chip on his shoulder […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54463,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[44,39456,2674,39610],"tags":[39617,39616],"yoast_head":"\nCurtis Millender discusses UFC release, reveals he signed with Bellator and has fight booked | BJPenn.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It was recently announced, Curtis Millender was released from the UFC after going 3-2 in the promotion but he has revealed he has signed with Bellator.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/mma-news\/exclusive-interviews\/curtis-millender-discusses-ufc-release-reveals-he-signed-with-bellator-and-has-fight-booked\/\" \/>\n<meta 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