Cain Velasquez deserves an immediate rematch says new UFC heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum. (Photo : REUTERS)
Fabricio Werdum feels that Cain Velasquez deserves an immediate rematch after submitting the latter at UFC 188 in Mexico City to win the heavyweight crown.
Werdum's coach Rafael Cordeiro agrees with his fighter and believes Velasquez deserves an immediate rematch for being a great heavyweight champion and having done things in the division that nobody did.
Velasquez was not ready for Mexico City's 7,300-foot elevation and despite his usual freakish endurance he ran out of gas.
Cordeiro said that while the altitude was a factor, Werdum's stand up also made a difference.
The coach admits that fighting in Mexico City is complicated, and in fact, said that he felt he was about to die when he sparred with Werdum in training.
Nonetheless, regardless of who Werdum's opponentwill be, Cordeiro said that the heavyweight champ, who got a six-month suspension, has to heal some injuries including his knee.
However, UFC president Dana White said that the next in line is either Stipe Miocic or Andrei Arlovski.
There were rumors earlier in the week that Arlovski has cornered a title shot but White said it's still a toss up with Miocic.
Arlovski, 24-10 with one no contest, is an ex-UFC heavyweight champion who has won three fights in a row since coming back to the UFC after a six-year absence.
Miocic, 12-3, is ranked No. 3 in the UFC heavyweight rankings.
No. 2-ranked Junior dos Santos is also out of the list.
White said dos Santos is not getting the fight against Werdum, is still on the mend from a recent knee surgery.
Dos Santos knocked out Werdum at UFC 90 back in 2008. His camp said he should be ready to fight before the end of the year. He underwent surgeries in January on his right ACL and on his nasal septum. He said he would have recovered when Werdum is cleared from his medical suspension.
