Sorting out the UFC Heavyweight Title Picture
For the first time since we saw Cain Velasquez batter Junior dos Santos for a second time at UFC 166 in October 2013, the heavyweight title picture feels open—wide open.
Call it a shot at newly crowned heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum (whom I picked to defeat Velasquez at UFC 188, mind you), but he doesn't feel invincible. Much like this new wave of champions that includes the likes of Daniel Cormier, Chris Weidman, Robbie Lawler and T.J. Dillashaw, Werdum doesn't carry this palpable sense of impermeability his predecessor once had.
Jon Jones can beat Cormier, Rockhold stands a good chance against Weidman, and just about any of the top four contenders could topple Lawler and Dillashaw in their respective divisions.
The same goes for Werdum, who has many questions to answer as he begins his journey in certifying himself as the undisputed baddest man on the planet.
Truthfully, any fighter can defeat any other fighter on any given night—especially the big guys at heavyweight. But having a puncher's chance against the champion doesn't necessarily make one a contender in the division. So forgive me in advance for not including anybody outside the UFC's top five heavyweights in this conversation (especially you, Ben Rothwell, because I really enjoyed your post-fight nonsense).
To clarify, this isn't black or white. Pretenders do not stand a good chance to beat Werdum—contenders do.
Travis Browne
1 of 5
Travis Browne is a perplexing mass of 240 pounds.
For most of his career, he has looked every part of a frightening heavyweight fighter. Browne was made to stand at a towering 6'7". He's a big, big man. But that's the thing—he doesn't move like one (and not in the Brock Lesnar kind of way, either). He's about as light on his feet as a man that large can get, and that should have given him a bevy of advantages in the cage against other men.
And yet, despite all the physical advantages, he falters in big moments.
We can go ahead and color his knockout loss to Antonio Silva as cloudy, considering he blew his hamstring mid-fight.
But those losses to the champ and Andrei Arlovski? They were not so cloudy as much as they were eye-opening.
Verdict: Pretender
Andrei Arlovski
2 of 5
Like most seasoned heavyweight fighters, Andrei Arlovski has seen his fair share of candles put out. He's been clipped numerous times in his career, failing to recover in seven of those occasions.
Surprisingly enough, it's yet to happen in any of his previous three outings since returning to the UFC. It didn't happen against a heavy-handed Brendan Schaub or a faster, more agile Travis Browne.
But despite his newfound youth inside of the Octagon, there's little reason to believe he has what it takes to dethrone Werdum. Sure, he was victorious over the champ back in 2007. But seven years later, that victory is neither here nor there. Arlovski may look about as good as he did back then, but Werdum is nowhere near the same fighter.
Chances are Werdum's heavy, rangy output would give the former heavyweight champ too many fits for this fight's competitiveness to match its marketability.
Verdict: Pretender
Stipe Miocic
3 of 5
With only about five years of professional mixed martial arts experience to his name, Stipe Miocic is in odd company: surrounded by former heavyweight champions with at least four years of fighting on him.
He's already tested himself against some of the division's biggest names, falling short in all but one attempt. Even then, that one loss against wasn't necessarily the sort of loss we're used to seeing against Dos Santos. While some called it controversial, many could, at the very least, call it close.
And with the sort of stand-up skills he brings to the table, you can assume a fight against Werdum for the crown would be close too.
Verdict: Contender
Junior Dos Santos
4 of 5
Perhaps nobody on the planet was happier to see Werdum get his hand raised earlier this month.
After two one-sided losses to the former champ Velasquez, most of us were under the impression that Dos Santos' title aspirations would no longer be fulfilled. Too many times did he prove that he was only capable of being the second-best.
He was a silver medalist.
He was Jan Brady.
But that all changed once the once-unbeatable Mexican-American heavyweight champion begged for a breath of fresh air in the high altitudes of Mexico City.
Like only one other fighter on this list, Dos Santos has a victory over the champ—the "highlight reel" kind. But unlike the other fighter on this list, JDS is still capable of pulling off that sort of victory—especially now that Werdum is seemingly confident enough to stand with just about anybody in the division.
Verdict: Contender
Cain Velasquez
5 of 5
Few thought Velasquez was capable of dropping the ball in his first title defense surrounded by thousands of his ancestors' countrymen. His tank was endless. His pace was nonstop. His wrestling was unmatched.
But then Werdum came in and proved them all wrong. I wish I could say he silenced the critics, but he hasn't. Some blame the altitude, while others blame the ring rust. Whatever it may be, many still believe Velasquez is capable of defeating Werdum.
And with good reason, because it's hard to doubt Velasquez was himself in Round 2 of that title fight. He was tired, and in all likelihood the altitude did play a role in his performance.
That's not to say Werdum would lose to the former champ in a rematch—because he's capable of tossing that same jab he threw in the first fight. We also see what sort of ground game Velasquez offers against the black belt in Werdum, and it's not good.
Still, until he proves himself the loser in a rematch, you have to give Velasquez a chance.
Verdict: Contender
