At UFC 188, Fabricio Werdum was crowned the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion by defeating Cain Velasquez. It was a surprisingly strong performance by the ever-improving Brazilian that resulted in a third-round submission win via guillotine choke.
Now, the UFC finds itself in a wholly unfamiliar position, having to make sense of a jumbled, cluttered heavyweight title picture.
For the first time in forever, there are not one, not two, but three strong options for its heavyweight champ, with a couple of wild cards in play as well. It’s a surprising but welcome change for the historically shallow division.
Figuring out who should challenge Werdum for the belt is a tough endeavor, but here are the top options.
Andrei Arlovski
Andrei Arlovski’s resurgence is one of the most absurd stories in recent MMA history. The former UFC champ seemed like he was completely, utterly done after suffering a four-fight losing streak that featured numerous chilling knockouts. Somehow, he worked his way back to the UFC after six years and rattled off three straight wins to force his way back into the Top 10.
A talented finisher flanked by the Jackson-Winkeljohn coaching staff, Arlovski would be a unique test for Werdum. He has the skills and game-planning to contend with Werdum all over the cage and has the tools to end the fight on a moment’s notice. Oh, and the fact that he owns a win over Werdum (albeit one from 2007) doesn’t hurt.
The trouble with Arlovski is that while he has the talent, he isn’t necessarily an especially strong draw, and his resume does not demand a title fight just yet. While he would likely get a shot at the belt under normal circumstances, he is a distant third on the list these days.
Cain Velasquez
While Werdum finished Velasquez in the third round, this was no blowout. Velasquez got in plenty of offense before the fight ended and had Werdum on wobbly legs on a couple of occasions. Couple that with the fact that Velasquez was clearly in less-than-peak physical condition, and it isn’t hard to sell fans on a rematch.
The trouble with giving Velasquez an immediate rematch? The guy is a physical wreck. He has only posted three fights in a calendar year once (in 2009) and spent the vast majority of his 896-day title reign nursing injuries.
Is Velasquez deserving of an immediate rematch? One could argue for or against that. Either way, the UFC’s business interests likely wouldn’t be well-served by having its heavyweight belt on a chair in a physical therapist’s office.
Junior dos Santos
It took some doing, but former heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos finds himself with a surprising opportunity to take back the strap. For those who repressed the memories, JDS took the heavyweight title from Velasquez in 2011 but was absolutely mauled in their 2012 rematch. The rubber match in 2013 was a similarly brutal affair to the point where it was impossible to get enthused about Dos Santos’ future as a contender.
With Velasquez out of the way, however, Dos Santos is in prime position for a return.
He is coming off a win over fellow would-be contender Stipe Miocic. He sent Werdum packing for Strikeforce back in 2008. Oh, and he’s still hugely popular, even without the belt.
A Werdum vs. Dos Santos title fight makes sense on paper and could work as the main event to the UFC’s long-awaited soccer stadium show in Brazil. This is the fight to make.
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