For signing with what can be the premier MMA organization in Asia. His brand wasn't going to get much stronger if he beat Palhares/Fitch/Burkman, it's help but he is already ranked over those guys and a lot of us thinks he wins those fights. By winning those fights, the same fans who called him in Bellator aren't going to suddenly respect him, they're still going to call him boring. Asian crowds in the past have shown that they aren't quick to boo like American crowds.
The UFC is trying to build their brand in Asia, so what makes him more attractive: Being known as a high end fighter who does most of his damage by grappling where fans sit and boo or going and becoming a star somewhere the UFC is trying to grow so that the UFC doesn't even have to do their job and promote you for when they put on fights oversea's, they can just throw on their countries premier fight organizations former champion on the card in addition to the American household names and they have a card locked and loaded. The fact he can build his brand there where it was near maxed out in America (without the UFC) and he can do so while making 6 figures a fight with less risk of a loss, it just makes too much sense.
If he were to fight in the WSOF it'd be purely for ego and to please the small group of hardcore fans who want to see him square off with Palhares. Ben beating him would be an awesome win, but it's not going to change a lot of impressions about him. Those very reasons cause a lot of fighters to sign, but in this case he made the right choice. The fact he is used to traveling worldwide from wrestling and was already familiar with the Evolve camp just made the choice all the easier.
