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I'm just worried about Werdum's physical condition. I mean, he is coming into the fight at his heaviest weight in at least a decade and is 40 now. Around 2010 in the middle of the strikeforce run and then entering back into the UFC, he quickly blossomed into a completely different fighter. Specifically, he was much more fit and athletic. Furthermore, his striking had progressed immensely. It really seemed like he turned this corner after the second Reem fight. Which is understandable since he was fighting I juiced out monster I'm probably thought that has all the way to remain competitive is to take his loan gummy bear juice. I mean, he couldn't budge let alone take Reem down in that fight. Every time he went for a TD it was like he was hitting a brick wall.
Of course there is no proof — and I don't like making accusations — but with his physical change and his sudden athletic enhancement, damnit if there's not a fucking forest fire worth of smoke LOL
Add in to the mix thathe was training out of nova uniao and it just exacerbates my suspicions. The massive improvements came when nova uniao was pumping out more champions and top contenders than the Kronk Gym in the 80s. From Jacare and RDA to Aldo to Barao.... Then them plunging post USADA means you have to be utterly the most naïve person on the planet not to have suspicions. Additionally, his aesthetic alterations came before USADA and subsequently plummeted afterwards. Again more smoke.
A So you just have to wonder which Fabricio we are going to be getting. Will it be the Fabricio who smoked Cain in Mexico or the Fabricio who looked like hot garbage against Travis Browne and Reem last two outings?
I still think he beats Derrick Lewis regardless, but if we are to get 70% of prime Werdum it would be a straight wash. Where Fabricio gets the take some down, passes guard like a hot knife through butter then grabs a limb and as whatever he wants with it. Now it's going to be a bit closer perhaps?
The problem for Black Beast is that he's at his best when he's getting top position and going Donkey Kong and smashing dudes from that spot. Does he really want to mess with Werdum's guard? it's HW, so yeah BB could land something big standing too, but the Travis Browne that basically couldn't touch Werdum over a full FORTY MINUTES of fighting damn near had BB out in their fight before Browne gassed and got stopped.
So basically, yeah, Werdum might have fallen off. Maybe even to a significant degree. And maybe it's due to USADA related reasons. Maybe. But even so, he almost stopped Overeem in rd 3 in his last fight. He's way more skilled than BB. And the fact he has the best HW guard in the history of MMA probably neutralzes BB's best weapon.