Stipe Miocic: Fabricio Werdum has never faced anyone like me
Rumors can often be upsetting, even when they aren't directly about you. UFC heavyweight Stipe Miocic heard a rumor last week that he didn't much like.
The Ohio fireman and fighter heard what to him was a dirty rumor -- that Andrei Arlovski would get the next title shot against new champion Fabricio Werdum. If that were true, of course, that would also mean that Miocic wouldn't get the title fight.
So, the frustrated slugger took to the digital soap box that is Twitter and expressed his anger. Succinctly.
"Fu-- it," he wrote.
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Miocic confirmed that the tweet was in reference to the rumor that he was getting passed over for a shot at gold. "Well, because I heard that rumor [and so I tweeted] when I heard the rumor," he said.
"I was kind of upset a little bit. You know, I put my time in, I fought top-ranked guys the last couple fights. I built myself up to come up to that level and get my shot at the title, you know and it really upset me that a guy would just jump me like that."
Arlovski is a former world champ who has won three straight fights since returning to the UFC one year ago. Most recently, he knocked Travis Browne out at UFC 187 in one of the most violent single-round heavyweight fights in recent MMA history.
Miocic, however, is on his own roll. He's won four out of his last five fights, with the lone loss being a controversial decision to former champion Junior dos Santos.
Arlovski and Werdum fought one another once before, back in 2007. Arlovski won a decision in a fight where action was sparse.
Miocic believes he should fight the Brazilian next, precisely because he's a different kind of challenge. "Because he hasn't fought someone like me before," he reasoned.
"I bring a lot to the table and I'm gonna walk in there and I'm confident I'm gonna win the fight and I'm gonna win the fight. I'm gonna be the next heavyweight champ."
Miocic has built his career on his boxing and wrestling. Should he get the chance to fight Werdum for the UFC heavyweight belt, don't expect Stipe to hesitate to use his wrestling and go to the ground with the submission wizard.
"Yeah, I mean listen -- his ground game's amazing, his stand up's real good too," he allowed.
"I'm faster than him. I move better than him. I got better stand up. He's really good on the ground. He's a black belt but nah, I'll definitely use my wrestling. I'll be smart about it and not put myself in any bad positions, but I think anywhere it goes I'm comfortable. And, whatever he brings to the table I'll be able to handle."
