Fedor Emelianko wants a rematch with Fabricio Werdum, and Werdum is happy to oblige.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Werdum and Emelianenko met for the first time at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum in Juen 2010. Werdum scored a first-round submission win on that night. Emelianenko recently called for a rematch with Werdum. The Brazilian heavyweight is open to it and predicts a nearly identical outcome to their first fight.
“I respected Fedor for a long time,” Werdum said to MMA Fighting. “I never said bad things about him, never in my life. I respect him a lot. But I believe the rematch with him, it’s history for the sport. When I beat him in 2010, I shocked the world, and maybe I shock the world again. I believe I finish him in the first round again. I’ll finish him quickly again, cause I’m very confident. When I have the training and my mind is OK, I go in there and this is my life. I love fighting. I love to fight every time. Respect first, but I believe I beat him in the first round again.”
Both fighters have found success since their first meeting. Werdum would go on to capture the UFC heavyweight title, while Emelianenko would make it to the finals of the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix. Werdum says he would also accept the rematch with Emelianenko due to the respect they have for each other.
“You know why [I’ll fight him again]? Because he said he wanted the rematch, and I loved the idea because I told you, respect with fighters is very important,” Werdum said. “He never said bad things about me. He never talks too much. He just goes in there to fight. My opinion, he’s the greatest in the world. Stipe Miocic is the champion today, but greatest of all time is Fedor Emelianenko for sure.”
The former UFC heavyweight champion is now a free agent and Emelianenko is under the Bellator deal.
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