Velasquez is injured and Miocic faces Werdum for the heavyweight belt

Werdum (left) x Miocic (right) will be the new main event of UFC 196. Photo: Produção SUPER FIGHTS (Disclosure)

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The first defense of the belt Fabricio Werdum It won't be a rematch. This is because, once again, physical problems prevented Cain Velazquez to perform in the octagon and the Brazilian's challenger at UFC 196, scheduled for February 5th in Las Vegas (USA), will be the North American of Croatian descent Stipe Miocic.

The announcement was made by UFC president Dana White, through his official profile on Twitter. According to the director, the problem that forced Velasquez out of the title fight less than two weeks before it was held was a back injury.

At 38, Fabricio Werdum has a record of 20 wins, five losses and one draw. In his last fight, “Vai Cavalo” won the linear heavyweight title by beating Cain Velazquez in Mexico, in June last year.

Yes, Stipe Miocic, 33 years old, has a professional record of 14 wins and two losses. Miocic comes from two consecutive victories, the most recent of which over Andrei Arlovski on January 5th, at UFC 195, in a duel that confirmed him as number one challenger in the 120 kg division.

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