This past weekend on UFC Fight Pass in London a new contender emerged for current UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic's title.
Russian powerhouse Alexander Volkov made a huge statement with his late finish of former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum. Werdum is arguably the greatest heavyweight in mixed martial arts (MMA) history.
Werdum broke heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko's undefeated streak several years ago, and also forced Cain Velasquez, another candidate for greatest heavyweight of all time, to submit when they shared the Octagon in Mexico
Volkov has emerged as a legitimate contender in the heavyweight division, showing off some amazing striking with knockouts throughout his career.
After his TKO win over Stefan Struve this past September Volkov needed a big step up in competition.
He got exactly that with Fabricio Werdum. After escaping some ground attacks from Werdum early on in the fight, who is as skilled as it gets when it comes to the ground game in the sport of MMA, Volkov went on to knockout Werdum in the fourth round.
Earlier in the fight Werdum had his eye swollen shut after a hard combination from the Russian. This visibly impaired Werdum's ability to keep up on the feet.
Regardless, Volkov is now at the top of the chain in regards to a title opportunity and Werdum has gone down the ladder.
He recently took to social media to break his silence on the loss and thank those who supported him (quotes via MMA Mania):
”I would like to thank everyone who cheered for me, who sent me messages of support and who are by my side in this difficult moment which is a defeat,” Werdum wrote.
“I am sad but I keep my head up with the certainty that life is made and mistakes and correct and that the most important of this trajectory is how we rise from a fall.”
”I am fortunate to have happiness and determination in my heart and to be surrounded by people who respect me and who give me the energy that I need to continue my path of success.
"Thanks for the support and know that each one of you is very important to me!”
What are your thoughts on Werdum's comments following his devastating loss to Volkov this past weekend in London? Do you think that Werdum will ever receive another title shot in his MMA career? Or do you think that his days of competing as a challenger for the UFC's ultimate prize behind him? Let us know your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below!
Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: http://gms.to/writeforgms