Fabricio Werdum is now a free agent. And after a slick submission win over Alexander Gustafsson in his last contracted fight with the UFC, the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ace will have plenty of suitors.
While he hasn’t shut the door on staying on with the promotion, the former UFC heavyweight champion is weighing his options upon ending his last contract on a high.
“The emotion was because this is my last fight in the UFC,” Werdum told reporters in a post-fight press conference. [H/T MMA Junkie] “I had many years with the UFC. I don’t know how many I had with the UFC, like 10 years (or) 12 years. You know?
“I’m a working individual – on Spanish commentaries. I think almost all of my life was here. I love UFC for sure. I want to say thank you to the UFC for many things.”
Wherever he ends up next, Werdum said he was not looking to hang up his gloves any time soon.
In fact, he’s got a name in mind for a big fight down the road – a rematch against Fedor Emelianenko.
Werdum shocked the world in 2010 by submitting Emelianenko, ending the Russian’s 28-fight win streak in emphatic style. Though the fight was over a decade ago, the Brazilian believes it’s a fight which would capture the imagination of MMA fans the world over.
“I want to fight with Fedor, 100 percent,” Werdum said. “I respect him a lot. I want to give this opportunity to him to fight with me again.
“This has history: Me vs. Fedor in 2010. Ten years later, everybody wants to see this fight. I don’t know where, but for sure I want to fight with Fedor because I respect him. In my mind, he is the best in the world.”