Ultimate Fighting Championship great Fabricio
Werdum is preparing to make the transition into coaching as he
grows older.
At the tender age of 47, Werdum knows his time in competition is
coming to a close. He is not quite done, despite last competing at
Gamebred FC 5 in 2023 in a bare-knuckle match with Junior dos
Santos. His slate predictably less packed given that he is no
longer regularly fighting, Werdum is ready and willing to train
other fighters to give back to the sport in a different way. In an
interview
with Sherdog on Thursday, Werdum discussed who he has his sights on
to work with in the near future as well as what lays in store for
him.
One can count “Vai Cavalo” among the many impressed by Jon Jones’
recent performance against Stipe
Miocic at UFC
309, and he thinks he might be able to have what it takes to
help a standout competitor get the edge on Jones. That fighter?
Alex
Pereira, who is considering his next test between Jones and
Magomed
Ankalaev.
“In both cases, [Pereira] has great chances [of being] taken down,”
Werdum explained. “Against Jones, I would say, it is almost
impossible to not be thrown. Jones was able to take [Daniel]
Cormier down. My point is to anticipate the movement to fall in
a good position, unlike Miocic, [who took heavy damage when taken
down]. The main goal of a good guard is not to get hit, and that’s
where I could help ‘Poatan,’ with my progressive guard. But we
would need at least two months. [Beating] Jones via points is
difficult, but if he uses my tactics, I think he can win via
knockout.”
Even though he noted that with his assistance, Pereira could beat
Jones, Werdum was nonetheless gobsmacked by how well Jones has
acclimated to the heavyweight division. After just two fights, the
former champ believes that Jones is already among the greatest to
ever do it at that weight.
“I have to put Fedor
[Emelianenko] [on my heavyweight Mount Rushmore]; Jon Jones,
after beating Miocic; ‘Minotauro’ [Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira] and [Mirko
Filipovic] ‘Cro Cop,’” Werdum listed, while also suggesting
that Jones is the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the sport’s
history.
If he does not get his wish to help train Pereira, Werdum is ready
to focus back on himself. According to the Brazilian, he has a
secret pending fight offer that he is considering, one that might
make waves.
“My manager Ali [Abdelaziz] didn’t allow me to give details,”
Werdum hinted. “All I can say is that it’s a new MMA event and my
opponent is also a former champion.”