“I was already injured. I have a foot injury, and haven’t been able to throw kicks in training for two weeks. I would still fight Cain because I was injured the last time, but I also hurt my back last Friday. I went to the doctor, tried to continue training, but couldn’t spar as I should spar.. I decided not to fight because I’m not 100 percent. If Cain was the opponent, I would go on. It’s not his fault, it’s nobody’s fault. Injuries happen. You can’t avoid them. I have no option. I made this decision because I’m not feeling 100 percent… I made this decision together with my team. We decided not to fight. Cain can’t fight. I was going to hide the injury one more time, like I always did. I tried to hide it, but couldn’t this time. I can’t fight if I’m not 100 percent to put on a show like I always did… It took me a long time to get here and win this belt, be the champion, to throw everything away because I’m not 100 percent. I have to think about everything now, I can’t think and act like I did when I was 20. It’s not like that anymore. Everything changed. I’m 38 now and I feel I’m at the best moment of my career, and I can’t risk my career because of pride.”
-Fabricio Werdum talks to media in Brazil about his decision to pull out of UFC 196 a day after an opponent switch from Cain Velasquez to Stipe Miocic (via Guilherme Cruz at MMAFighting.com).
Penick’s Analysis: Werdum’s going to catch some flak for these comments, but it’s hard to hold it against him if he’s been battling injuries of his own. He’s been in the cage with Velasquez, and knew what he was getting into with that fight. Miocic on two weeks notice is a bit of a different story, and any fighter who is in a position like this and who doesn’t want to take unnecessary risks to that position against a short notice opponent is right to not take that fight. It’s got the UFC in a bad spot right now, but it’s Werdum’s title and his career, if he’s not feeling up to pushing through against what he perceives to be a lesser opponent, that’s simply his prerogative at this point.
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This article has been updated to correct the timing on the bout as two weeks out instead of three.
Two weeks notice.
1.) Good for Werdum. It’s one thing to fight a scheduled opponent when training with injuries. But to both train with injury AND have to fight a new opponent. That’s just stoopid. I wonder if Rafael Cordeiro will be labeled a sport murderer if they cancel UFC 196. Doubtful, since he doesn’t chase the spotlight.
2.) It was criminally stoopid for Werdum to publicly voice his stance; that he’d fight Cain injured but not Miocic. Oh my, all the knuckle-dragging moth-breathers are going to be on his ass for that one.
3.) Cleveland will have to wait a while longer for a success story that doesn’t involve Rene Russo or Dennis Haysbert.
And another thing – If Zuffa announced the Miocic fight before going to Werdum with it, then they’ll literally NEVER learn from their mistakes. If they DID go to Werdum, if Werdum DID sign off on Miocic, and then pulled out less than 24 hours due to pre-existing issues, then he should be stripped.