Werdum rebuts Velasquez's coach and proposes a challenge against his master Rafael Cordeiro

F. Werdum (left) wants R. Cordeiro (right) to face Javier Mendez, while he takes Velasquez. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

leader of American kickboxing Academy (AKA) and technical Cain Velazquez, Javier Mendez added even more fuel to the fire for the unification of the linear and interim heavyweight belts by declaring that his pupil would run over Fabricio Werdum and administer an even greater beating than against Junior Gypsy. Upon learning of Mendez's provocation, Werdum did not let it go unnoticed, refuted the criticism and even challenged him to a fight against his master, and leader of the MMA Kings, Rafael Cordeiro.

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“Velasquez’s coach doesn’t usually talk much before fights, you don’t see that much. And you can see that his athlete is not doing very well. Cain hasn't fought in two years, so he wants to get attention by talking. If he is really the champion’s coach, he doesn’t need to say anything,” he said, to the North American website “MMA Fighting”. “If he wants, we can schedule a fight between him and Rafael Cordeiro. If he really wants to talk, fight with my master Rafael. I believe the fight would end with Cordeiro giving him a front kick to the body. Rafael usually does this. The fight would end with him (Javier Mendez) down. Knockout. Kick in the gut,” he added.

Fabricio Werdum e Cain Velazquez face each other on June 13, in Mexico City, in the main fight of UFC 188. The duel will take place seven months after the date on which they were originally scheduled to face each other, also in Mexico. At the time, in November last year, however, Velasquez ended up getting injured, left the event and was replaced by Mark Hunt, who ended up defeated by Werdum in the dispute for the interim heavyweight belt.

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