Roan Carneiro makes improbable UFC return 6 years after being cut

It's something of a remarkable statement against the odds that Roan Carneiro is back in the UFC. Cut in 2008 after a 2-3 stint in the UFC, Carneiro has been wandering the regional wastelands for the past half decade, in search of a way back to the top. Stints in Shine Fights, United Glory, and Road FC eventually led him to one of the biggest US regional shows of 2014, Battlegrounds MMA 5: One Night Elimination.

In October of this year, Battlegrounds put together something of an oddity in the modern MMA world, (or at least the stateside iterations of it) a one night 8 man tournament. The tournament featured welterweight fighters from around the US (including that ATT Atlanta based Carneiro), five of which were former UFC vets. Of all the fighters, Carneiro had been fighting the longest, with a career stretching all the way back to 2000. Even with a few recent wins under his belt, success seemed... unlikely. Still, at the end of the tournament, it was the evening's two most battle hardened competitors facing off. 14-year vet Roan Carneiro against 48 fight vet Brock Larson. Carneiro took the unanimous decision.

And now, just two months later, Carneiro is announcing his return to the UFC, as improbable as any.

I can't put in words how I am feeling signing this contract again. Yessssss I am official @ufc @ufcbrasiloficial again. Thanks God, my family, my team, my fans and all those people who believe on me and who didn't believe too. More news come soon.

I can't put in words how I am feeling signing this contract again. Yessssss I am official @ufc @ufcbrasiloficial again. Thanks God, my family, my team, my fans and all those people who believe on me and who didn't believe too. More news come soon. Eu não posso colocar em palavras o que estou sentindo em assinar de novo esse contrato. Simmmmm agora eu sou lutador do UFC novamente. Mais notícias em breve. Obrigado meu Deus, minha família, meu time, meus fãs e a todos que sempre acreditaram no meu trabalho e aqueles também que não acreditaram. Mais notícias em breve

A photo posted by jucao21 (@jucao21) on Dec 12, 2014 at 6:11pm PST

No details of his return date or opponent have been revealed, but as Carneiro says above, updates should be coming soon.

UPDATE: Ariel Helwani reported on UFC Tonight that Carneiro will be facing off against Mark Munoz at UFC 184, on February 28th in Los Angeles.

On @UFCTonight @arielhelwani reports that @mark_munoz now fighting at UFC 184 in Los Angeles against Roan "Jucao" Carneiro

— John Stouffer (@johnstouffer) December 18, 2014