Fabricio Werdum Wants to Rematch Cain Velasquez in Las Vegas

Newly minted UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum wasted no time in calling out his next opponent, and he chose the same man he had just defeated. 

Speaking with Ariel Helwani after his UFC 188 main event against former heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez, Werdum said he'd like his first title defense to be a rematch of the fight he'd just completed.

"I think a rematch in Las Vegas is a good deal," Werdum said. 

This is interesting on a few levels. For one, Werdum wasted no time in responding, indicating he had thought about this before. He was prepared for the question, and he decided a rematch with Velasquez would be best for him. 

Secondly, Werdum's cardio worked to his benefit against Velasquez, something that shocked fans and critics across the globe. Velasquez is known for his insane pace and pressure, but it was Werdum who performed better as the fight wore on. 

This could be because Werdum moved his fight camp to Mexico over a month before the fight, slowly adapting to the 7,000-plus foot elevation and building his cardio and endurance in the process. 

Velasquez, on the other hand, trained at sea level in San Jose, California, and he looked unprepared for the respiratory rigors induced by the thin air in Mexico City on fight night. 

Taking the fight in Las Vegas would even the playing field on that front, potentially leading to an even better fight the second time around. While this is great for the fans, it does take away a significant advantage Werdum had at UFC 188, so it's a bit odd to hear the suggestion come from him. 

Lastly, Werdum has interesting options beyond Velasquez, and the former champ's performance didn't exactly inspire an immediate rematch. 

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Werdum could face Junior dos Santos, the last man to beat him inside the UFC Octagon, or Andrei Arlovski, the second-to-last man to defeat him under the UFC banner. 

Both of those rematches are more intriguing than a rematch with Velasquez right now, and it'd allow Velasquez to get another win under his belt in the meantime, rebuilding his case for a UFC title shot. 

By the time Werdum and Velasquez meet again, the fight could be massive. With plenty of options on hand, though, I'm just not sure the time is now.