Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Fabricio Werdum is hoping to land a massive heavyweight bout with top contender Francis Ngannou when he returns from suspension next year.
Werdum, who tested positive for a banned substance back in 2018, is eligible to fight again in May of 2020. The former UFC heavyweight champion originally requested his UFC release after “unfair” practice by United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), but the promotion is making Werdum satisfy the remaining two fights on his contract.
With Werdum sticking around for the time being, the 42-year-old veteran is left to ponder his next opponent for his UFC return. While most people might think “Vai Cavalo” would ease his way back into competition coming off a massive knockout loss to Alexander Volkov and a two-year layoff, the former heavyweight king is ready to jump right back into the fire.
That’s why Werdum is picking the scariest fighter in the division for his comeback affair.
“The big guy, Francis Ngannou. He is a huge guy, a very strong guy. But, I visualize the fight with him and I saw when I finish him. I do this a lot, I visualize all my fights,” Werdum said to Sherdog.com. “When I fought Cain Velasquez, remember when I won the belt? I visualized everything. I would go to Mexico, stay there for two months. And become very focused. I like the fight against Francis Ngannou. A big challenge for me, I know he is strong, but I believe I finish him on the ground.”
Ngannou, who is coming off three-straight knockout victories over Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, and Curtis Blaydes, is arguably the most dangerous power puncher in the history of the sport. The hulking heavyweight has already done enough over his past three fights to earn a title shot his next time out, but with Jon Jones waiting in the helm to possibly challenge the winner of Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic 2, Ngannou may be waiting longer for his second shot at UFC gold.
If that is the case, Werdum has given enough to this sport and UFC to get a crack at Ngannou in his return. Despite producing a 3-3 clip inside of the Octagon since 2016, which includes losing his UFC heavyweight title to Miocic, Werdum holds enough clout to earn a big fight next year.
Only time will tell if that big fight includes a divisional killer like “Predator.” If it does, Werdum better get ready to pull guard from the opening bell.