'I don't respect Werdum and I would beat him easily', says Rockhold

L. Rockhold (pictured) beat C. Weidman in December. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

See too

After provocations, Velasquez's team goes back and congratulates Werdum on the title

Werdum reveals hot weather with Velasquez in Mexico: 'He didn't want to greet me'

Respectively UFC middleweight and heavyweight champions, Luke Rockhold e Fabricio Werdum fuel an unlikely rivalry between them. The two athletes have been exchanging public barbs for months even though they are from different weight categories, and this time it was the North American who once again spiced up the feud.

In an interview with the North American website “MMA Junkie”, Rockhold showed his contempt for Werdum and was open to a duel with the Brazilian, which today seems unimaginable. “I don’t respect this guy. I only respect him as a fighter, because he is tough and achieves this,” he said, adding in a tone of irony. “I would fight him and I think I would beat him easily.”

Werdum and Rockhold have been enemies since the Brazilian faced each other for the first time Cain Velazquez, training partner of the current middleweight champion. Before the fight, Rockhold declared that the Brazilian's interim title was fake, and that Velasquez was the real champion. Since then, both have continued to provoke each other publicly. Werdum and Velasquez will rematch for the heavyweight belt on February 6, in the main fight of UFC 196.