Farah Hannoun: Fabricio Werdum
Fabricio Werdum is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career. He returned after a two-year layoff in May and looked a little sluggish in his split decision loss to Aleksei Oleinik at UFC 249.
Sure we can give him the benefit of the doubt because of the long layoff, but losing three straight will put him in a tough spot. Werdum is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer and has already reached the pinnacle of the sport by winning the UFC heavyweight title. He has nothing left to prove, which is why Saturday can dictate his fighting future.
He has one fight left on his UFC contract and depending on how he looks against Alexander Gustafsson, this could be it. I’m not sure if another run at the title is even on his mind, but the returning Gustafsson will be a good indicator to show if he’s still a top contender in the division.
Werdum has finished the likes of Fedor Emelianenko, Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Heavyweight resumes don’t get better than this, so if he loses to Gustafsson, he certainly doesn’t need to stick around and fight young prospects who will try and build their name off of him.
Whether he re-signs with the UFC, goes to another promotion or retires, Werdum is a legend. And if Saturday is the last time we see him compete, he’s achieved more than enough in his storied career.
Next page – Simon Head: Robert Whittaker
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