Fabricio Werdum has moved himself to the on-deck circle for Fedor Emelianenko.
Werdum overcame first round troubles to grind out the close unanimous decision over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva. Silva took the early edge and rocked Werdum in the first round, but he was unable to finish the contest.
Werdum hung tough with the larger Silva, and all three judges saw the fight the same way: 29-28 for Werdum.
Now, Werdum has a much more challenging task in front of him.
After vanquishing Brett Rogers with a devastating right hand, Emelianenko appears to be fighting at the highest level of his career. For Werdum, that means preparing for a man that may very well have no weaknesses.
“I have respect for Fedor,” said Werdum. “He’s the best in the world, but I want my opportunity.”
When asked to if Werdum should be the next opponent for his prized attraction, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker agreed.
“That makes a lot of sense,” said Coker.
Werdum’s game is based on the mat. His jiu-jitsu skills are on par with almost any heavyweight on the planet, but all fights start on the feet. Any chance Werdum has to last to the later rounds will likely be determined by his striking defense.
Having trained with renowned striker Mirko Cro Cop, Werdum has improved his standing skills dramatically over the past few years.
However, before the matchup between Werdum and Emelianenko can take place, Fedor first has to recover from injuries sustained in the Brett Rogers fight. Coker said that Emelianenko has an injured hand and broken nose.
Emelianenko is likely to be sidelined for four to six months.
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