Fabricio Werdum changes plans, wants Andrei Arlovski next
New UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum initially expressed interest in an immediate rematch with the man he beat to become the man - Cain Velasquez. Now, however, the Brazilian has different plans.
"I talked about a rematch with Velasquez in respect," he recently told MMA Fighting.
"He was a great champion and did a lot for the sport, so I was being respectful. But then I thought about it, the way the fight went... When it's a close fight, when there's doubt, or when it's a quick finish, you do an immediate rematch. But I did everything I was planning to do and then got him with that guillotine. People saw there's no need for rematch now."
Werdum still knows what he wants, though. Next, he wants a rematch with Andrei Arlovski, just who his manager called for last week.
Arlovski beat Werdum by a close decision in 2007. "The Pitbull" has won five straight fights, and was listed by UFC president Dana White alongside Stipe Miocic as the likely candidates for the next heavyweight title shot.
"I would like to fight Arlovski because it was a close fight, a split decision, an ugly fight that nobody liked, and I think I won," Werdum said.
"Arlovski next might be a good idea. After that, 'Cigano' [Junior dos Santos]. But I take step by step. The next step is Arlovski, and then 'Cigano'. I fought 'Minotauro' again, did well and won, and now it's the rematch with Arlovski. 'Cigano' would be cool. But I got to focus on Arlovski first because he's a former UFC champion and this fight will sell well."
Werdum lost by first-round KO to dos Santos in 2008. After avenging losses to dos Santos and Arlovski, Werdum predicts that he'll rematch Velasquez at that point.
Lost in those plans, of course, is Miocic, who lost a controversial decision to dos Santos last year. After that loss, Miocic rebounded by putting a historic beating on Mark Hunt, who himself came within a breath of winning the interim heavyweight title against Werdum last November.
"It's Arlovski now, 'Cigano' next, and then Velasquez again. That's what I imagine," Werdum concluded.
"Cain will have to do one more fight, so I will fight Arlovski, Cain fights Miocic, and 'Cigano' is injured. That's how I see it, but it's up to them to earn it now."
