Werdum analyzes Overeem and bets on Ngannou against Cigano

Werdum faces Overeem at UFC 213 (Photo: Reproduction/Facebook UFC)

Former heavyweight champion, Fabricio Werdum enters the third duel against alistair overeem, at UFC 213 this Saturday (8), hoping that a victory will put him back on a collision course with the current owner of the category's belt, Stipe Miocic. But that doesn't mean that the Brazilian is oblivious to other important duels in the division.

One of the duels that catches the gaucho's attention is between his compatriot junior gypsy and the Cameroonian Francis Ngannou. For Werdum, Dos Santos will have a better chance if he takes the duel to the ground, as he believes that the consecutive battles against Cain Velásquez, Stipe Miocic e Mark Hunt they took away some of the rival's absorption capacity.

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“I see this fight being very difficult for Cigano, because he is a guy who specializes in boxing and Francis is a big guy and likes to fight a lot on the feet too. So, if Cigano has a good strategy, suddenly taking him to the ground and staying on top... because we don't know what Francis is like on the bottom. (…) In my opinion, I’m not trying to say anything bad or anything, but I think Cigano took a lot of beatings in his fights. Both with Cain Velásquez, both with Stipe Miocic, against Mark Hunt He also took a lot of beatings, so I think his head isn't the same. It’s not even a question of having a glass chin, it’s just that his head isn’t like it used to be”, commented the Brazilian, in an interview with the Combate channel’s website.

Focused on his fight, Werdum also analyzed the evolution of Overeem, who has specialized in counterattacks in his last fights. For the former champion, the Dutchman has changed his style since “he stopped having the special breakfast”.

“He’s a guy who plays a lot on the counterattack. Now the game changed a little, when he had the “special breakfast” he was stronger, he set more pace. He's a guy who gets very tired and we know that. As they say in slang, he is a lion attacking and a kitten defending. No one likes to be beaten, but he doesn't know how to be beaten. So you need to set a good rhythm, be very careful with his counter, because he changes bases all the time to hit the left”, he analyzed.