I know what you’re thinking, you’re thinking “Slow down there Fabby, Stipe Miocic is the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion, not Francis Ngannou.”
While that’s true (for now), “The Predator” has the chance to usurp the throne in the UFC 220 pay-per-view (PPV) main event, set for Jan. 20, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts (more on that fight here).
And if Ngannou wins in “Beantown,” former division titleholder Fabricio Werdum will be waiting for him, according to “Vai Cavalo’s” recent conversation with Portal do Vale Tudo (via Bloody Elbow):
“Ngannou has a lot of power, but I don’t think he’s very technical. However, I still believe he’ll surprise Miocic and knock him out. They both enjoy trading shots, so if Miocic doesn’t have the right strategy, that big black guy will knock him out. Ngannou is very confident and that can make a difference, if he really connects, you’re going down, as we saw with Overeem. I can already see myself submitting him, though, and becoming champion again. That’s my goal, to have a third belt on my wall and I really do believe it’ll happen. I’m sure I’m next. I’ll be waiting for him in April or so.”
Good luck with that.
Werdum (23-7-1) was able to fight his way back into title contention by securing consecutive wins over Walt Harris and Marcin Tybura. Not exactly the top of the 265-pound food chain, but a win is a win.
Ngannou (11-1), meanwhile, recently set a world record for punching power, then applies said power to Alistair Overeem’s skull in one of the most violent knockouts ever recorded inside the Octagon (replay).
So, can Werdum’s world-class grappling stymie Ngannou’s ferocious death punch?