“Now that I’m getting rich, why would I retire? No way! I want to make history. I want to be considered the best heavyweight fighter in history by the fans. I started beating Fedor [Emelianenko], [Mark] Hunt, [Cain] Velasquez – a long list. I was always considered the underdog. So, now I think I’m starting a new phase in my career where I’m not the underdog anymore. In the beginning, everybody said that I was a jiu-jitsu fighter. I think I could change that, too, by evolving my standup skills. Of course, I have much more to evolve, but when I see my fights today, I can recognize that I’ve been able to add new skills to my game. So, no way am I thinking about retirement. I’m 38 years old and my body is in perfect shape. I’ve never had any serious injuries, never even taken hard punishment to my head, so I have a lot of story left to write in that sport.”
-UFC Heavyweight Champ Fabricio Werdum talks to Sherdog.com about why he’s in no rush to retire.
Penick’s Analysis: Given what Werdum has already done in his career, he could indeed wind up going down as one of the great heavyweights in the history of the sport. The fact that he handed Fedor Emelianenko his first defeat in ten years, only to follow that with what he’s done since returning to the UFC, is enough to put him in the conversation; if he adds a decent run as champion to that, especially given the significant turnover on top of that division, then it might be undeniable. Regardless, he’s been excellent since coming back to the UFC, and some more wins on top will only further establish his legacy.
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