Former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum rescues teen from drowning

MMAfighting.comS

Brazilian heavyweight Fabricio Werdum is currently serving a two-year USADA suspension.

The former UFC heavyweight champion was at a beach in California with his family on Sunday when he noticed that two teenagers were in trouble on the water. The 41-year-old “Vai Cavalo,” didn’t think twice – he took his coat off and jumped on the sea to help a life guard.

“When we saw the fireman’s car, the car stopped in front of us. I said I was going to help, and Karine (Groff, my wife) wasn’t sure, because it was dangerous,” Werdum told AgFight. “But when I looked, there were two tiny heads at sea yelling ‘help.’ They were very far, about 70 meters away. When the lifeguard grabbed the board by himself, I took off my coat and ran. I took the orange floater, threw it across my chest, and I arrived with him, a little further ahead even. I told him to get the girl, who was screaming a lot, and I got the boy, who was already limp. I was able to get him, and we swam toward the beach. … Then, at shore, an old man helped me. The waves were big. The girl sank about three times.”

Werdum’s wife caught on tape the final moments of the rescue.

Werdum is currently serving a two-year suspension after failing an out-of-competition drug test conducted by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in 2018.

“Vai Cavalo” recently confirmed he requested his release from the UFC to resume his MMA career outside of the United States.