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[image-1]As one commenter points out below, Fabricio Werdum withdrew from the Feb. 6 UFC heavyweight title fight shortly after we published the news that Stipe Miocic would be joining the card that night.
"I was already injured," Werdum told mmafighting.com. "I have a foot injury and haven't been able to throw kicks in training for two weeks. I would still fight Cain because I was injured the last time, but I also hurt my back last Friday. I went to the doctor, tried to continue training, but couldn't spar as I should spar. I decided not to fight because I'm not 100 percent. If Cain was the opponent, I would go on. It's not his fault. It's nobody's fault. Injuries happen. You can't avoid them. I have no option. I made this decision because I'm not feeling 100 percent."
From the LA Times: "The UFC could either place the next contender, Alistair Overeem, into an interim title fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, elevate former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks’ bout to the main event or cancel the card completely."
Dig the WFNY podcast for more info.
***
Originally published Jan. 25
Cleveland's own Stipe Miocic has picked up a title shot sooner than expected, as he will replace Cain Velasquez in the Feb. 6 UFC heavyweight title fight against Fabricio Werdum. Velasquez is suffering from a back injury.
"Gotta grab opportunity when it comes knocking," Miocic wrote on Twitter.
Miocic is 8-2 in the UFC, with five knockouts.
Via ESPN:
We spent an afternoon with Miocic in 2012, talking through the finer points of life as a T.J. Maxx shopper and learning the rules of "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Balltap."
"I was already injured," Werdum told mmafighting.com. "I have a foot injury and haven't been able to throw kicks in training for two weeks. I would still fight Cain because I was injured the last time, but I also hurt my back last Friday. I went to the doctor, tried to continue training, but couldn't spar as I should spar. I decided not to fight because I'm not 100 percent. If Cain was the opponent, I would go on. It's not his fault. It's nobody's fault. Injuries happen. You can't avoid them. I have no option. I made this decision because I'm not feeling 100 percent."
From the LA Times: "The UFC could either place the next contender, Alistair Overeem, into an interim title fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, elevate former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks’ bout to the main event or cancel the card completely."
Dig the WFNY podcast for more info.
To be honest I wouldn't want to fight me either you guys.
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocicufc) January 25, 2016***
Originally published Jan. 25
Cleveland's own Stipe Miocic has picked up a title shot sooner than expected, as he will replace Cain Velasquez in the Feb. 6 UFC heavyweight title fight against Fabricio Werdum. Velasquez is suffering from a back injury.
"Gotta grab opportunity when it comes knocking," Miocic wrote on Twitter.
Miocic is 8-2 in the UFC, with five knockouts.
Via ESPN:
The title fight will headline a UFC 196 pay-per-view event at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Werdum (20-5-1) will seek his first defense of a title he claimed in June in a submission victory over Velasquez at UFC 188 in Mexico City.
Miocic, 33, was promised a title shot after a first-round knockout ofAndrei Arlovski earlier this month. Now, due to Velasquez's injury, that opportunity will come sooner than expected.
We spent an afternoon with Miocic in 2012, talking through the finer points of life as a T.J. Maxx shopper and learning the rules of "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Balltap."
