Miguel Torres (39-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is no longer with the UFC.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed with UFC officials that Torres has been released from the promotion following an inappropriate Twitter post.

White first revealed the move to SI.com.

"Miguel Torres has been cut from the UFC, and his career with us now is over," White told SI.com.

"If a windowless van was called a surprise van, more people wouldn't mind going for rides in them," Torres stated. "Everyone likes surprises."

"There's going be times when things happen and mistakes are made," White told SI.com. "I cannot defend Miguel Torres. I cannot defend what he said. What he said makes no sense other than when he says, 'It was a joke.' Well, I don’t think that’s a funny joke. I think it’s disturbing."

Torres today told HeavyMMA's Matt Erickson the quote was a reference to a line to an FX sitcom, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Episode No. 2 of the series fourth season took place largely in a van with tinted windows that the characters repeatedly called a "rape van."

The move comes one day after UFC light heavyweight headliner Rashad Evans on Wednesday also made an off-color comment in reference to the recent Penn State sexual abuse scandal. However, White declined to punish Evans for his poor judgment.

"[Evans] said something stupid," White on Thursday told MMAjunkie.com. "It's probably one of the dumbest things you can say.

"He gets it, and he knows it was a stupid thing to say. We'll see what happens."

Forrest Griffin recently found himself in similar hot water after Tweeting, "Rape is the new missionary." Griffin eventually removed the comments after drawing the ire of many of his followers, and he explained to White the comment was meant as more of a social commentary on the prevalence of rape cases in current media coverage. Griffin was not released by the promotion.

Torres fought most recently at November's UFC 139 event, where he earned a unanimous-decision won over Nick Pace. He's probably best known for his stint as WEC bantamweight champion, when he notched three defenses of the belt before surrendering the title to Brian Bowles.

UFC brass have yet to make an official announcement regarding the roster move.

Earlier this year, Zuffa officials rolled out the new bonus program to all UFC and Strikeforce fighters. UFC president Dana White long has been a supporter of the social-media movement and currently boasts nearly 1.7 million Twitter followers.

UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva, former interim heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrgio Nogueira and middleweight contender Demian Maia each recently pocketed $10,000 for winning bonuses in two different categories, while Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos and UFC welterweight contender Paulo Thiago each scored $5,000 for earning a win in a single category.



Source: Miguel Torres released from UFC following 'rape van' Twitter post

Erm, over reacting? Never heard anybody take a tweet that seriously before. Its not like he actually did rape somebody. Id rather see guys say corny things on twitter and make for good fights then having cheaters that use steroids fighting on main events (sonnen etc). Its clear that its not what you DO as a UFC fighter, its what you TWEET that matters!

Forrest Griffin rape joke= ok
Rashad Evans Penn State pedophilia=ok
Miguel Torres Twitter joke=you're cut.

Not defending Torres at all. We can also note that it was taken off a TV show, not that it makes it ok.
This just shows you that if you are marketable and exciting it's ok. Miguel Torres post-WEC seems to have angered a lot of the MMA population.
The UFC has to make a policy that deals with this business.

Im defending Torres! He has done absolutely nothing wrong. What he jokes about on his free time is no reason to fire him from his work. If you cant take a joke and dont have any humor you can overreact all you like, but hey I heard DANA WHITE call Loretta Hunt a "dumb fucking bitch" publically, he also said that she was a "faggot" and he often says a lot of controversial things. When his employes act the same way (or makes a joke without swearwords even) they can obviously get fired just like that. Thats what I call a perfect example of hypocrisy.

ps. and thats why unions are good and dana hates them, with a proper union behind torres this would never be possible to happen

100% agreed, this news really bothers me, You should be able to joke about anything in society
I think being to offended by stuff like that is proof of lack of braincapacity, (or having a really bad day perhaps)
and the UFC once again gives an amazing fighter away for free, he builds a great name because he is better than all of his competition outside the UFC and they have to get him back.

I completely get your point. Why be so overly offended by something? Did he even try to understand why or how it happend?
He should have the professionalism to handle it in a positive way. Why not say "we will talk to the fighters and remind them to be careful with what they say but what they do on their free time is their own responsability. Their opinions are not the opinions of the UFC and all we can do is ask him kindly to watch his language, specially if he wants to renew his contract" or something similar. Im sure it would have been accepted by press and fans.

If anything they should of fined him on his next bout. But cutting him over something on twitter is nuts. The NFL wouldn't even do that.

it sounds like torres got cut because he didnt have a good explanation for his actions...
dana said rashad and forrest explained their situations to him and he could see why they said what they said...
miguel torres only explanation was that it was a joke and dana didnt find it too funny apparently...
i still think this is horribly wrong because i say offensive stuff all the time...
people need to harden the fuck up and stop being babies...

If I were Fox/FX I'd be pissed a partner (ufc) fired a fighter because he quoted one of my most popular comedy shows.

but as usual there was probably more going on behind the curtain....or dana was is a foul mood