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[Sakara=Excitement]

Fabricio Werdum Plans To End The Year As Heavyweight Champion - FightLine.com

The UFC's heavyweight division is anyone's guess at this point according to Fabricio Werdum (16-5-1). With the recent change of the titleholder, the Brazilian thinks that he can end the year with the gold around his waist.

Werdum is currently coaching on the second season of TUF: Brazil opposite of Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (34-7). They will meet at the conclusion of the show, which is set for June 8. It will be a rematch as Nogueira earned a decision win over Werdum while the two were under contract for Pride.

Cain Velasquez (11-1) regained his championship over the weekend at UFC 155. He destroyed Junior dos Santos (15-2) for all five rounds to become a two time UFC heavyweight champion.

[Leucoethiops]

Fabricio's been lookin' pretty good upon his return to the UFC. I think Cain's faster on the feet, and would give Werdum problems there, despite Werdum's improved muay thai.

Unless you've got Dos Santos KO power, you probably won't finish Werdum... I can't think of someone whose guard I'd be less inclined to drop into to try and finish someone.

I'd like to see Werdum v. Barnett.

[1inthechamber]

I can only laugh at this claim.

[Leucoethiops]

It's not beyond the realm of possibility, but I think anyone fighting him will looking to keep it standing, and probably not capitalizing on a finish if Werdum is rocked; guy can just pull guard and no one wants to go there (Well, maybe Cain will).

For Werdum, I think if he keeps working his standup and builds up a really fucking good gas tank, then a title isn't out of the picture.

Guy's legit.

[1inthechamber]

Originally Posted by Leucoethiops

It's not beyond the realm of possibility, but I think anyone fighting him will looking to keep it standing, and probably not capitalizing on a finish if Werdum is rocked; guy can just pull guard and no one wants to go there (Well, maybe Cain will).

For Werdum, I think if he keeps working his standup and builds up a really fucking good gas tank, then a title isn't out of the picture.

Guy's legit.

I just don't see him doing much against Cain, Overeem , or jds

[Leucoethiops]

Originally Posted by 1inthechamber

I just don't see him doing much against Cain, Overeem , or jds

He did what he could against Overeem the last time they fought, given Overeem looked scared and afraid to engage (maybe because he'd lost to Werdum before). Werdum actually landed more total strikes that fight (62 to 46) and more significant strikes (43 to 32), according to FightMetric.

I think he can beat overhyped Overroid via decision, but I agree that Cain and JDS give him big problems...

I'd still be happy to see Werdum fight Cain though, it's a fun matchup; I don't think much changes in JDS / Werdum II.

[GangGreenWarrior]

I'm pretty confident Werdum will not end the year as UFC HW Champion. He fights Nog on June 8th. I don't think a win over Nog will not get him a title shot. Beating Nog isn't the splash it once was. He would likely have to fight once more after beating Nog to get his shot. The post Nog fight won't even be booked until at least July and usually fights aren't booked anything shorter than 3 months out. He can plausibly get into title consideration by the end of 2013, but I don't see that fight taking place this calender year. Injuries/Roid tests could sneak him into a title shot but I have a hunch he would get skipped over.

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

Werdum's enhanced training regimen focusing on strength and conditioning, coupled with his marked standup development has given him impressive tools to complement his "best in the world" BJJ, which put together makes him a threat to everyone at HW.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit if he ends the year as HW champion. Cain and Cormier probably wouldn't want to mess with his guard, so it'd be a striking affair which I think would be somewhat close and all four other top HWs(Cain, JDS, Cormier and Overeem) will have a difficult time at this point in Werdum's career, as he's not just a grappler anymore. Not to say he could beat all four at this juncture, but he's legit for sure.