If you were excited for the much-anticipated showdown between No. 1-ranked heavyweight contender Fabricio Werdum (18-5-1) and Cain Velasquez, you may have to compromise.
That heavyweight title bout will not take place after Velasquez injured his knee, which means No. 4-ranked Mark Hunt (10-8-1) is something of a pinch hitter in the interim title fight as the main event of UFC 180 on Saturday night.
It will be the first major pay-per-view from Mexico City, and Hunt only had three weeks to prepare after accepting the fight on short notice.
The main problem for Hunt will not be the short notice. It will be his opponent.
Werdum checks in at 6’5” with an impressive reach, which will be an issue for the 5’10” Hunt on Saturday. That type of height and reach advantage means Werdum will stay out of range of any potential match-changing blow from Hunt, which is something the challenger is more than capable of delivering.
Werdum has victories over the likes of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Travis Browne, Roy Nelson, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva and Fedor Emelianenko in what was arguably the marquee victory of his career—especially since it came as a first-round submission.
If Werdum can get the fight against Hunt to the floor early and often, it will likely be over rather quickly. Few in the history of the heavyweight division utilize the submission quite like Werdum, and he will certainly have the advantage on the mat against Hunt, who is more known as a striker relying on heavy blows.
However, Werdum can do much more than just attack from the floor, and Yahoo Sports even pointed out that he is no longer known for just the one aspect of his game:
Werdum’s striking has gradually improved as his career has progressed, and coach Rafael Cordeiro attributed it to his dedication outside of the Octagon, via Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports:
Fabricio dedicated eight years of his life to get to that point. He has so much heart. A lot of the jiu-jitsu guys come to the gym and they take one, two, three punches and they want to pull guard. But Fabricio is not like that. He showed a lot of heart since the beginning. He wanted to learn and he put himself through a lot.
While Werdum is ranked No. 1 and had a longer preparation period, Hunt should not be overlooked.
His power punching alone represents a threat for Werder if the No. 1-ranked heavyweight is not focused, and Hunt is also capable of turning the momentum of the fight with impressive kickboxing.
If nothing else, Hunt is always a candidate for a knockout because of the power he packs behind every move.
Still, it’s almost impossible to ignore the fact that Hunt didn’t have the time to prepare for a fight that will take place in the high altitude of Mexico City. Stamina will certainly be a factor, especially if Werdum turns it into a grappling match, which can sap energy even faster.
Werdum is clearly the better fighter on the mat and has improved his striking to the point where it is not a huge advantage at all for Hunt.
With that type of versatility against an opponent who could wear out by the middle of the second round, Werdum is the pick.
Prediction: Werdum wins by second-round submission.
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