Summary
Werdum in a photo shoot. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/FabricioWerdum
MMA legend Fabricio Werdum was scheduled to face Junior Cigano at the 'Kings Championship', an event led by renowned coach Rafael Cordeiro and to be held on August 8th in Florianópolis, but the latter withdrew from the fight. Despite the setback, 'Vai Cavalo', 49, remains active and open to starring in important and valuable fights. However, the Brazilian has placed a compatriot on his blacklist: Rousimar Palhares.
It all started when Werdum didn't believe Toquinho's innocence after the latter explained that he doesn't release the submission out of malice, but rather because he doesn't feel his opponents' tap-out. Then, the Minas Gerais native, visibly irritated, disapproved of the criticism made by the Rio Grande do Sul native and, feeling disrespected as a man and a fighter, raised his voice and reiterated his challenge for a grappling match.
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In an interview with the YouTube channel 'Portal do Vale Tudo', Werdum didn't shy away from the subject and gave a clarifying response to his new rival. The former UFC heavyweight champion (up to 120,2 kg) stressed that he did not disrespect him personally or professionally, but disapproves of his conduct in fights. And, precisely because of the controversial reputation of the expert finisher, who injured and harmed several fighters, 'Vai Cavalo' ruled out facing him.
" Regarding Toquinho, I respect him, but I don't admire him . It's different. Toquinho, I always respected you as a fighter and as a man. At no point did I disrespect you as a man. I only spoke the truth. It's different for me to respect you and to admire you . Because I think he didn't have the fighter's code of honor ," said the MMA legend.
"Because when you finish, I learned this from white belt, you finish, it's over, the guy gives up, he doesn't want to fight you anymore. So, that created something very bad for your career. You're known as the guy who doesn't let go of the position . I don't know if you were banned from all events. There must be something like that. I know you were banned from the UFC."
"Because it wasn't just once, it was two, three, four, five times. I said he's playing dumb, because it's not normal for a guy like you, a black belt, a tough guy, to have that kind of attitude . The guy tapped out, thanks, goodbye. I was at ADCC in 2011, and I saw you smash the guy's knee. I saw it, nobody told me. I was there, fighting too. I saw it the way you did it, and it was unintentional?"
“'I didn't see it.' How could you not see it? And what about your experience as a fighter? I wouldn't fight Toquinho under any circumstances . I won't fight him because the uncertainty of getting hurt is too great. I could submit Toquinho with a rear-naked choke, a triangle choke, wherever, it doesn't matter, or Toquinho could submit me with a leg lock, something, but I have that uncertainty.”
“If it works, it works. My coach has seen it many times, I have no shame, I'm even proud to say that I've tapped out many times in front of many people at the academy. I have no problem tapping out, zero. The problem is the uncertainty of tapping out and getting hurt. I don't want to arrive at places limping. I've never torn a ligament in my life, I've never had any serious knee surgery.”
“At this point in my life, getting injured and having to have surgery, having to stop everything I'm doing today, I can't have that uncertainty. So, I wouldn't fight. Then, Toquinho might say, 'No, I won't do it with you.' Really? But why me? Especially since he's got this thing going on, he challenged me, and now he's gone to the other side.”
“I didn’t say he wasn’t a man. I believe he is a man. Unlike the ‘ghost of the fight,’ who I don’t think is a man. Really, Toquinho is a warrior. I’ll give you a very banal example. If, by chance—of course, it’s not good for our image—Toquinho were to meet me at an event and we were to ruin it with a fight, which obviously isn’t ideal…”
“But it could happen. If it does, I believe Toquinho wouldn't sue me, and neither would I. Nobody would sue anybody. The ghost of the fight is something else entirely. If a fight were to occur, something related to the ghost of the fight, he would sue. Then, imagine, you'd be paying money to a guy who sued you?”
" Toquinho, I'm not going to fight you, it's impossible . Thank you very much. Cyborg is challenging, and there are others. You want to fight? Go fight someone else. I'm not fighting you . I respect you as a man, but I don't admire you as a fighter . I have nothing against you. As I said, as a man, it's obvious that I respect you."
“I know you’re a man, you’ve shown that, but it’s so simple to understand that respect isn’t admiration . I don’t admire you as a fighter, precisely because of your code of honor . That’s all, nothing more. Deal? Hugs. Thank you. Bye. End of discussion. I’m not going to fight ,” he concluded.
See Toquinho's challenge to Werdum.
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Werdum's fighters in MMA
Fabricio Werdum , 49, is one of the biggest names in the history of heavyweight MMA. The Brazilian began his career in the sport in 2002 and built a record of 24 wins, nine losses, one draw, and one no contest.
One of 'Vai Cavalo's' achievements in the sport was winning the UFC belt in 2015. His most notable victories were over Alexander Gustafsson , Alistair Overeem , Antônio Pezão , Cain Velasquez , Fedor Emelianenko , Mark Hunt , Rodrigo Minotauro , Roy Nelson , and Travis Browne (twice).
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