Fabricio Werdum Earns Title Shot — And the Reasons Why

LINK

With his come-from-behind victory over Gabriel Gonzaga at Saturday’s UFC 80 event, Fabricio Werdum — who owns a mere 1-1 record in the UFC — has been granted a heavyweight title shot. He’ll take on the winner of an interim title fight between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Tim Sylvia that headlines next month’s UFC 81 event.

UFC Dana White confirmed Werdum’s upcoming shot at the belt during UFC 80, (The UFC, of course, is assuming that estranged heavyweight champ Randy Couture, who announced his resignation from the organization in October, will turn down the fight

However, is Werdum really ready to fight for the title? Will UFC fans consider it a legitimate main event if the UFC gives the fight headliner status?

So, why does he get a title fight so soon in the UFC?

Honestly, there aren’t many other options. Couture appears finished with the UFC, Gonzaga already got his shot, Arlovski could be fighting for the final time in the UFC in March, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has been struggling and is unsure about his future in MMA (according to White anyway), Brandon Vera is coming off a loss, the world’s other top heavyweights (Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett and Aleksander Emelianenko, for example) don’t fight for the UFC, and the UFC’s other heavyweights (such as Jake O’Brien, Eddie Sanchez, Justin McCully and Antoni Hardonk) are far from ready.

the f***?

i mean, i really like werdum and i picked him to assrape gonzaga, but he's only won one fight, why not AA?

It’s kind of sad that this is what the HW division has come to… for a while there it looked like it was going to become a deep division, but with the things that happened like Cro Cop flopped , Couture left, Vera's hype quickly ended dropping a decision against sylvia, and arlovski sitting on the bench… it just fizzled.

Although I agree it’s not an optimal option, I think that if Kongo wins against Herring, he should probably get the next shot… based on his last couple of fight beating former HW contender assuerio silva, and cro cop, he should be ahead of werdum.

Either that or B.J. hits up McDonald’s every day for about six months, or by some miracle coutre decides to fullfill his contract obligation, and makes a return.

---

Posted by Vietnamese_Guy

the f***?

i mean, i really like werdum and i picked him to assrape gonzaga, but he's only won one fight, why not AA?

---

I agree give the title shot to Arlovski!

I don't care if Werdum finished Gonzaga he was far from impressive, hand still needs lots of improvement, Gonzaga took him down at will, he just didn't follow him to the ground....I think it was more less impressive from Gonzaga than impressive for Werdum.

BULLSHIT

What about Cheick Kongo? Enough said, he deserved a shot himself.

---

Posted by babalu2720

I don't care if Werdum finished Gonzaga he was far from impressive, hand still needs lots of improvement, Gonzaga took him down at will, he just didn't follow him to the ground....I think it was more less impressive from Gonzaga than impressive for Werdum.

---

the only reason why i can think why Werdum gets this shot..
is of course cuz he beat Gonzaga duh.. even though it wasn't
impressive in my eyes.. he still beat the last belt challenger,
GG who actually put up a fight against Randy.. the actual belt holder..
just my opinion.. not that i agree with the shot @ the belt for
Werdum.. but that seems to be why to me..

---

Posted by krthll1

---

Posted by Vietnamese_Guy

the f***?

i mean, i really like werdum and i picked him to assrape gonzaga, but he's only won one fight, why not AA?

---

I agree give the title shot to Arlovski!

---

assrape Gonzga?! what fight did you see? Gonzaga was assraping Werdum till basically.. it looked like GG just got sloppy and seemed to give up.. i don't think i
ever seen some one dropped so many times by leg kicks before.. i'm just dumb
founded by what happened..

this is kinda crazy

I know there are some others deserving this (e.g. Kongo, AA) but its still better Werdum than Lesnar

I think due to the lack of depth in the HW division there aren't many more options. AA comes to mind but if he isn't under contract then why would he get it? Maybe Kongo but he is kind of a stretch. A fight between Werdum and Kongo for #1 contender wouldn't be bad. They would have to have it in like 3 months then the next Title fight in 6 months. That would be alot of fighting for Werdum, plus if he won they would want him to defened in anothe 4 or so months. Well I kinda went one there...Sorry

no he dont!! he was gettin beat in the fight and rocked GG then got the TKO, they fight again i see GG beatin him, kongo should get one b4 him

both Tim and Nog would beat him. If werdum somehow got tim on the ground then maybe he'd have a good chance of pulling off the submission.

looks to me like arlovski hasnt resigned, if thats the case then werdum does make the most sense to get a title shot.

The UFC's heavyweight devision is shallower than a lake in Death Valley at low tide!

i swear man they r give title shots people who dont deserve it. wat about kongo, i think he is way ready the werdum, and even though bj won yesterday he shouldnt of gotten the title shot it should of been roger huerta. im sorry i love the ufc but they needa different matchmaker if joe silva is making these decisions.

Kongo and Arlovski are way more deserving of a title shot than Werdum, Arlovski beat Werdum, and Kongo beat Cro Cop , When Gonzaga achieved this he was awarded a title shot so why not Kongo, Herring should fight UFC's new heavyweight Shane Carwin instead of Kongo

I agree he lost the first, but he wasn't dominated by any means, he looked good. If Tim wins he might get his arm broken again, Werdum is a great BJJ guy, and his striking is clearly improving(hope it gets much better) but on top of that he's tough. GG has quit in his last two fights, and IMO he doesn't want to take any punishment, he wants to be a kickboxer now, and Werdum showed he'll take punishment and he'll keep going. I like Werdum, he's got great BJJ, and he's improving his strikes, and making the right choices as far as his career. Oh and as far as Cro Cop pondering retirement, I call complete BS, I've talked to people who know him personally and thats the furthest thing from his mind, I think Dana's up to something.

Edit: Kongo doesn't deserve a shot because he has a terrible ground game and Nog would submit him in under a minuet, and his striking is IMHO not all that great so big Tim would KO him in round 2. He needs to prove himself against Herring then he might deserve one.

Gonzaga didn't look into it last night IMO just to put that out there and no way does Werdum deserve a shot there is AA who should be next AA vs Tim 4
or AA vs Nog sounds better

How can you say Kongo doesnt deserve a shot? He beat Cro Cop and AA deserves the shot most of all because he beat the guy who is getting the shot now and AA hasnt lost since that victory cause he hasnt fought!

This is just stupid. It should be AA vs Kongo for the No. 1 spot and Werdum vs Mir if he wins for the No.2 spot. Not saying a win over Lesnar is that big, but Mir is tremendous when he is on his game.

It's ridiculous to me that Werdum is getting this before Arlovski. Heres how I see this:
UFC tells Arlovski if he beats Werdum he gets a title shot
The win is boring so Arlovski doesn't get a shot and doesn't fight forever
Fabricio Werdum, who lost the fight to Arlovski beats Gonzaga and is now deserving of a shot

Is it just me or is that one of the most ridiculous things the UFC has done, and usually I stick up for Dana and the UFC. If he only has one fight left and might be leaving give him his title shot and he'll be more likely to stay with the organization. You don't tell a guy he'll get a shot if he wins and give it to the loser instead after 1 win. Shame

To be honest i don't really care about Werdum's title shot.
It will be the best way to have an exciting 1 way fight for Tim or Nog !!

Werdum will go down for the count and everybody ( Dana included ) will see what happen when a A level fighter face a B level fighter. ( the B level is Werdum )

GG was not himself, it is clear, something happened because he was watching the clock non stop in rd 2 and was conpletely on hold. Anyway, GG will probably never use any excuses and he will accept the defeat and comeback stronger !!

i guess going 1-1 in the ufc gets you a title shot that should piss off arlovski if i was him

---

Posted by tuvok500

To be honest i don't really care about Werdum's title shot.
It will be the best way to have an exciting 1 way fight for Tim or Nog !!

Werdum will go down for the count and everybody ( Dana included ) will see what happen when a A level fighter face a B level fighter. ( the B level is Werdum )

GG was not himself, it is clear, something happened because he was watching the clock non stop in rd 2 and was conpletely on hold. Anyway, GG will probably never use any excuses and he will accept the defeat and comeback stronger !!

---

Your doing what you tell everyone not to do and making excuses. Werdum has more big wins and more big fights then GG does, he is the better fighter and has proved it twice.

---

Posted by THE_DRiZzLE

---

Posted by krthll1

---

Posted by Vietnamese_Guy

the f***?

i mean, i really like werdum and i picked him to assrape gonzaga, but he's only won one fight, why not AA?

---

I agree give the title shot to Arlovski!

---

assrape Gonzga?! what fight did you see? Gonzaga was assraping Werdum till basically.. it looked like GG just got sloppy and seemed to give up.. i don't think i
ever seen some one dropped so many times by leg kicks before.. i'm just dumb
founded by what happened..

---

Yeah its like GG was injured or something. But till that point he the fight was all him. I don't think he gassed at all. I don't think the knees did him in. I think he may have broke his foot during one of those leg kicks or something worse maybe even his leg, or hurt his knee. But one thing is for sure something changed the outcome that fight and it wasn't Werdum. But good job by Werdum of smelling blood and going for it.

I saw no domination in the first. I thought GG won it but Werdum definetly held his own, and outside the leg kicks did more IMO. I don't know if GG got hurt or ended up quitting like he did against Couture, I think he may give under punishment.


Edit: I'll love it if Werdum wins the title because I expect to see Tuvok have him #1 on his ranking!

---

Posted by cmill21

---

Posted by tuvok500

To be honest i don't really care about Werdum's title shot.
It will be the best way to have an exciting 1 way fight for Tim or Nog !!

Werdum will go down for the count and everybody ( Dana included ) will see what happen when a A level fighter face a B level fighter. ( the B level is Werdum )

GG was not himself, it is clear, something happened because he was watching the clock non stop in rd 2 and was conpletely on hold. Anyway, GG will probably never use any excuses and he will accept the defeat and comeback stronger !!

---

Your doing what you tell everyone not to do and making excuses. Werdum has more big wins and more big fights then GG does, he is the better fighter and has proved it twice.

---

LOL !!

man, i specificaly said that GG would probably never use any excuse for his lost !!
I said he was not looking normal after rd 1. I am not telling that he was not use to fight in a cage, or not use to receive an elbow, or even the crow was too loud !!
You know those king of excuse that somebody use at will !!

telling that a guy was looking strange starting from rd 2 is just a fact that a lot of peoples have saw. the reason why he was looking strange would be an excuse and i will not go there and i said that GG will probably not go there either.

---

Posted by cmill21

I saw no domination in the first. I thought GG won it but Werdum definetly held his own, and outside the leg kicks did more IMO. I don't know if GG got hurt or ended up quitting like he did against Couture, I think he may give under punishment.


Edit: I'll love it if Werdum wins the title because I expect to see Tuvok have him #1 on his ranking!

---

I will rank him # 1 HW if he won the UFC HW belt , don't worry, i am not going to cheat like some others guys who refuse the result of some fights because their favorite fighter were not looking good !! lol

Man, i have Serra # 1 WW, so Werdum # 1 HW is not that hard for me, as long as he win the UFC belt !!

by no means is werdum a B level fighter and i dont know why anyone would say that. his bjj is as good as any heavyweight in mma, (including nog, although big nog may utilyze his a little better in an mma environment).

i didnt expect this but i dont mind it either. werdum is a tough fight for anyone. noone is gonna roll through him in the first or second round which should make for a good fight versus anyone.

I agree he started to look different after Werdum kept peppering his with punches and knees. GG has quit after taking damage in his last two fights, and I think he will continue to do so if people pepper him.