After Fabricio Werdum defeated Cain Velasquez, two names have been mentioned as the former's possible opponents – Andrei Arlovski and Stipe Miocic.
The names were suggested no less by UFC big boss Dana White, who hinted that Werdum could likely face one of the two though it seems that Werdum’s team is leaning more towards facing Andrei Arlovski which they feel is best for business.
Arlovski, (24-10, 1 NC) and is coming off an impressive first round knockout of Travis Browne which happened in UFC 187. He has won five in a row and stands to be the better choice though a match has yet to be offered by Werdum’s manager, Ali Abdel-Aziz.
A match against Arlovski could also have a sidelight of sorts. Back in 2007 at UFC 70, Werdum lost to Arlovski and has lost only twice ever since.
A rematch could be something worth watching with the stakes higher since the heavyweight title is in play.
However, this is not to discount Stipe Miocic who himself is coming off a win over Mark Hunt at UFC Fight Night 65. Miocic has been around and knows what it means to be on the top. Though Werdum is still in the younger part of his career, Miocic is impressed.
So which of the two could be a worthy opponent? Before answering that, hold on a bit. Doesn’t Cain Velasquez deserve a rematch?
Werdum’s coach, Rafael Cordeiro, is not discounting such a possibility and in fact believes that Velasquez deserves a rematch. Being a former champion, it is without question that Velasquez ranks up there among the greats and has contributed immensely to the sport.
“It’s hard to say names,” Cordeiro said via MMA Fighting.com. “I believe Cain deserves a rematch because of his history as a champion. He was great. He did things in the heavyweight division nobody did, and Fabricio will start building his history in the heavyweight division.
Many may echo Cordeiro’s insights though an immediate rematch brings to mind a lot of questions. Would it be something fans would pay to watch?
The answer to that is divided. If not for an immediate rematch, a suggested scenario is to see Werdum go up against another fighter for the title and Velasquez doing the same to rebound from the recent defeat.
Once that is settled, pair Werdum and Velasquez again (assuming both come out victorious with separate bouts) and you may just have a bigger audience eager to see the rematch.
All that is looking ahead though as Werdum is given time to heal his injuries. If ever, Werdum could be primed for another fight before the year ends.
On who that could be is still up in the air.
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