This news broke today. More to come later…
Velasquez is out. Miocic is in.
After defeating Andrei Arlovski in 54 seconds at UFC 195 earlier this month, Cleveland-born Croatian-American Stipe Miocic has finally seen his fighting dream come true: to battle for the UFC heavyweight belt, ESPN has reported. With former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez having to pull out due to a back injury, Miocic was quickly added to the UFC 196 main event on February 6th in Las Vegas; opposite current heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum.
With Miocic receiving the news only two weeks before the fight, he only had this to say on his Twitter feed: “Gotta grab opportunity when it comes knocking.”
The fight comes on short notice for Miocic fans who will now be able to watch the Cleveland native battle for the title in Las Vegas the night before the Super Bowl is played between the Broncos and Panthers.
It’ll be a busy weekend in Vegas. Who’s in?
Shoot us an email at info@croatiansports.com if you plan on being in Vegas that weekend.
It’s the equivalent in soccer of players, trainers, etc going to teams abroad. I personally think sports would be more entertaining if the players actually came from the place they are playing for. At the same time the reality is – they want to get paid.
Fighting isn’t as forgiving a sport as most are. You make one wrong move and your career is over. Way more strategy involved in actually attaining money. Some of these fighters make $7500 show $7500 win money (in the biggest organization that makes millions). I figure miocic would make like $100k win/ $100k show (for title) and some ppv points. Thats nothing
Werdum was willing to fight cain because he has his number. He was willing to let go of the injury to fight him, and again it was for more money. It’s obvious why it’s better to wait it out instead of risking it. Fighters fight injured all the time, but for bigger events you gotta weigh the risks and advantages.
Cro Cop told his buddy and former training partner Werdum not to take the fight, he did not want to get his a** kicked
@adrian
I know the bigger the name the more PPV buys and thats what guys want. But there comes a point where you’ll have to fight everyone who’s in line for a shot and you can’t always hand pick opponents
@Croatianperson85
Werdum isn’t wrong for not taking the fight on 2 weeks notice. Thats crazy for anyone in a camp who has been training for a certain opponent and now a new one takes their place. The issue I have is that Werdum is blaming an injury where he says he was injured during camp (which he probably was as most guys do pick up injuries). But he was going to fight Cain with the injury and is now using it as an excuse. He also apparently agreed to fight Miocic and then changed his name the next day or two. Which he is entitled to do. As a champ you have a lot of say in these things and if nothings signed and he changed his mind so be it. I wouldn’t fight a guy on 2 weeks notice for the belt. I just would have rather him say that Cain is out we aren’t doing this fight on 2 weeks notice we can do it another time. I look forward to these two fighting in the near future if Cain’s injury is bad enough to keep him out a while.
@Croatianperson85
I dont necessarily have a problem with Werdum not fighting Miocic after Cain pulled out. I think he actually made a smart decision. As a champion you do get to dictate terms of your fights more than other fighters so the fact that he doesn’t want to fight a new opponent in 2 weeks notice isn’t an issue for me. What I don’t like about this (from reports you read, so take that for what you will) is that Werdum said he was always injured even before Cain pulled out but was going to fight anyway. So now that its a new opponent his injury is a big deal? Apparently at first Werdum also agreed to fight Miocic once Cain pulled out and shook on it. Now nothing was signed so he could have changed his mind and he’s allowed to do that. If I was in his position I wouldn’t take a fight on 2 weeks notice either after training for a certain opponent and then a new one being put in his place. Hopefully these two do go at it in a few months or so depending on how bad Cain’s injury is.
@adrian
I know you want to have the best match up and fight someone that is going to draw big numbers for a bigger pay day. And of course Cain would have drawn bigger numbers in a re-match vs Werdum than Miocic does on short notice. But having said that, you also can’t keep avoiding guys just because of this. There will come a time where if Werdum is still champ he will have to fight Miocic.
Good move by werdum, miocic wins that fight easy. Like I have said the whole time, just a matter of time before miocic raises the belt.
@Ziva and Adrian – Interesting points
I agree with why everyone would feel disappointed, think Werdum is a coward etc but at the end of the day this is also a business for these guys, that’s just the way it goes these days.The PPV earnings comment brings up a good point if that’s the case and remember Werdum has been training to fight Cain all this time even if Miocic only has 2 weeks. That changes everything from a psychological standpoint as a fighter. Sure it would be great to see but I don’t think that most UFC/MMA fighters are more concerned with pleasing fans than they are with lining their pockets. Also, Imagine how Werdum would feel losing to a guy who took a fight on 2 weeks notice. I think that would make it mentally difficult for any fighter, especially a champion, to bounce back from smoothly. Remember everyone this is a business as much as it is a sport for these guys. Werdum has more to lose than Miocic does.
Obviously I wanted to see this fight, it will eventually happen I hope.
Yes, I can definitely see why anyone would call Werdum a coward BUT would any of us feel the same way if Miocic was not Croatian and Werdum was fighting a random fighter? Let’s say Werdum was fighting Ben Rothwell and Werdum pulled out. How different would our opinions be? Would they be different at all?
PS. Ziva I always thought you were somewhere between a Bushwhacker Luke and Koko B. Ware sort of guy but then again some people call me old fashioned.
I think Ziva’s more of a Ken Patera guy.
the title fight’s off, its gunna be free on Fox Sports 1 and the Hendricks co-main event has moved to the main event. What a failure for the UFC.
Werdum is a disgrace and those who defend him are idiots.
Now Jon Jones says he wants to fight miocic for the belt. Of course this is very unlikely to happen because they would have to strip werdum of the belt, but god damn would that be amazing. JJ is a lhw that dominated everyone in that division and wanted to move up to hw anyway.
@milky the way the fight game works in the ufc you really want to choose who you fight. If you fought McGregor for example you would make more money than fighting someone that had a better record and was ranked higher.
@ Ziva
are you a WWE fan? do you root for the “fighting champs”?
are you a Triple H guy? or The Rock? John Cena maybe?
But, as of three days ago he wasn’t expecting a pay day anyway.
It’s true they get a cut of the PPV buys. But him not fighting means no pay day at all.
good point…….Miocic has no traction from the PPV-buying public. If what yuo say is true that he gets a cut of the PPV buys, then it kind of does make sense not to take the fight.
However, Werdum not wanting to fight. That is disturbing.
You don’t see that with the title holders in the WWE. WWE title holders are fighting champs.
If I was werdum I wouldnt fight either. They get ppv earnings. Miocic doesn’t bring in the views like Cain would. This means a lower payday in the end.
Werdum is not ducking Miocic because he cant beat him. Let’s not forget he fought roided out overeem.
First off, Werdum verbally agreed to fight with Miocic after Velasquez was out. Now he’s “injured and couldn’t practice for 2 weeks.” How can you possibly defend Werdum? If he’s a real “champ” he’d take the fight and not chicken out. He literally said he’d fight if it was Cain. What a coward…
fucking pussy cunt werdum
@Ziva
Well yes he is being smart not taking the fight on that short notice. But he is also running from the fight. My guess is that (depending how serious the Cain injury is), Miocic will fight Werdum sometime in June or so and then the winner will face Cain.
With Werdum pulling out of the fight I don’t see Miocic still fighting on the card. I wouldn’t if I was him. If its a title fight then yes you take it on short notice, otherwise Miocic shouldn’t fight some lesser opponent.
He might be avoiding him. Who knows. As I said, I don’t follow after school backyard fight club as close as you guys do, but if I am the champ there is no way I am taking a fight 13 days before the scheduled bout after training for a different opponent the previous 6 weeks. He is the champ and I assume he has some discretion in when he wants to fight.
Now, with Miocic not fighting for title, he has nothing to gain front his fight. If he wins, it was expected. If he loses, he might not get that title shot he is so close to receiving.
they’re both in an awkward position regarding preparation but Werdum had it easier, this honestly might be some Aldo type stuff, if he’s healthy and able to fight he should fight
Ziva Stipe has the same amount of time to prepare as Werdum? They both go into it even Steven.
Werdum is avoiding him, period!
And if what stipe loses his next fight to a lesser opponent ( anything is possible ) then where does that set him? He shouldn’t fight till it’s a title shot fight
Werdum says that he was willing to fight Cain, but now that it’s Stipe, then no way?
This makes him look bad. Stipe’s manager has said that this wasn’t the first time Werdum was ducking Stipe.
This is the same situation as McGregor.
Ziva,
I used to be a fighter in my late teens/early 20s. Most likely I see an interim bout with someone else. Stipe will take it if asked. At least that’s my opinion until the big match up. I just hope it doesn’t bite him in the ass. They did the same thing to McGregor, didn’t they?
Verdum is a pussy! Stipe is a champ in my eyes already…Stipe jumped at the chance!!
ok so this fight will not happen i repeat will now
Isn’t this smart on Werdum’s part. Forget the part of him being a picka. He was preparing for one guy and now all of a sudden has to prepare for another dude on short notice. In the long run, would he not want to be fully prepared for the guy he is fighting.
Credit to Miocic for taking the fight.
Now, what does Miocic do? Does he fight on the card against some lesser guy. Is he now motivated to get up for that fight knowing yesterday he was going to fight in less than 2 weeks for the title.
You know this type of shit never happens in the WWE. No ducking opponents there.
Werdum was afraid of losing to Stipe who only had a 2 weeks notice. We’ll go to the next scheduled title fight Stipe….
Werdum just pulled out. He could also use a PR team. Couldn’t have made it more obvious that he is ducking Stipe.
http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/1/25/10828922/fabricio-werdum-pulls-out-of-ufc-196-with-injury
you have to also think the other guy has to change his whole game plan now since its a different fighter in such short notice
Really short notice for Stipe! I hope he can get ready this quick…super excited for the fight and for Stipe!
Good luck, I know although Cain is from Mexico he didn’t train much on that altitude leading up to the fight and I really don’t know how good Fabricio is just that he beat a killer fighter, I’m excited!
it’s just that he’s coiming in in the last minute and that’s a massive disadvantage.. he only just fought arlovski and he hasnt been rested/training in preparation for this fight so it’s stacked against him
if he wins it’ll be a great job
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this is gonna be a tough fight for miocic.
I’ll be there.