Fabricio Werdum talks about his upcoming fight with Stipe Miocic at UFC 198 and a potential rematch with Junior dos Santos.
Fabricio Werdum doesn’t understand Junior dos Santos. As he prepares to take on Stipe Miocic at UFC 198, Werdum told Combate he doesn’t see why dos Santos wants to rematch him so badly, given “Cigano” already knocked him out back in 2008.
In Werdum’s opinion, maybe that means Junior dos Santos just likes him.
“That’s something I can’t understand,” Werdum said. “I think it’s because I’m the champion now. I have never seen a guy who won a fight the way he did back in 2008 to ask for a rematch. Normally the loser will ask for it, not the winner. So there’s something wrong. Why does he want that rematch? Maybe he wants something with me. Maybe he likes me, I don’t know.”
As for his upcoming challenge on Saturday, Fabricio Werdum already pictures the way he’s going to win against Stipe Miocic. He believes it will be by knockout, with a kick or something different, he hopes, as he feels Stipe is not as threatening as many people think.
“I already see myself winning this fight,” Werdum said. “I see myself knocking Stipe out. But it all depends, we never know how it’s really going to be. But I do believe I’ll impose my gameplan and try to knock him out with a kick or something different. Or maybe I’ll catch him on the ground. I want to finish this fight as soon as possible. Of course I’ll be patient, I have five rounds to finish it and I’m aware of that. I know it’s not an easy fight, he earned his title shot. He has good boxing and wrestling, but I don’t see him as a complete fighter.”
“On the ground, for instance, I can’t see him with his back on the ground and doing well. He lacks some things. I also think he was awarded his shot. Of course he has two good victories, but he talked, too. He asked for it. He was smart, actually. I would do that, too. In the heavyweight division you can get a title shot after two wins. It took me a little longer. When I came back to the UFC, I had to win five in a row. Sometimes reporters ask me who’s next and I always say it’s up to them, not me.”
Fabricio Werdum is scheduled to defend the UFC heavyweight title against challenger Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 198, in Curitiba, Brazil, on May 14.