Fabricio Werdum targeting heavyweight title fight after UFC 203
As the fighters took the stage for the UFC 203 pre-fight press conference, heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic sat down and to his right was former title holder Fabricio Werdum.
Now, the two heavyweight fighters are cordial enough with each other but it was a slightly awkward seating arrangement considering Miocic knocked out Werdum in May to win the title before returning home to Cleveland to make his first defense on Saturday night.
Werdum holds no ill will towards Miocic nor does he make any excuses about why he lost the fight that night. The only thing that matters to him now is beating Travis Browne at UFC 203 and then getting the winner of the main event that takes place just minutes after his bout is completed.
"I called the UFC, I wanted to fight soon because the last time I didn't go inside the fight. He got in one nice punch, I don't have an excuse for that," Werdum explained. "My training was very good, everything was OK, he just got me with a very good punch. That's it. I'm very excited for the next one tomorrow."
Werdum isn't too concerned with who wins the fight between Miocic and Overeem so long as he gets the winner.
The Brazilian sees a way for both of them to walk away victorious on Saturday night, and he has history with Miocic and Overeem so it doesn't really matter which one of them he faces next.
"Yes because me and Overeem, I fought with him two times in PRIDE in 2006 and after in Strikeforce, it's 1-1. I think No. 3 is OK, it's a good, too," Werdum said.
"I told you before my big goal is the belt. It doesn't matter who."
Werdum competes in the co-main event on the card but he's not planning a big celebration if he gets a victory because he wants to be back cageside to watch the bout between Miocic and Overeem unfold.
He's determined to face the winner so he can erase the wrong from May and get back the heavyweight title he coveted so much.
"After I beat Travis Browne, I want to sit very close to the cage to watch my next opponent," Werdum said. "I don't know if it's Stipe Miocic or (Alistair) Overeem, that's it."
