UFC 180: Fabricio Werdum vs. Mark Hunt – A Closer Look

In today’s competitive world all companies remain at the top by consistently being one thing, innovative. This has been the UFC’s fuel at heart which has continuously powered the recognized MMA behemoth to the forefront of the sport. Most recently their global takeover has gone digital with the launching of UFC Fight Pass in December of 2013. This year, they unveiled their first ever all-female cast of The Ultimate Fighter. A season were the series Finale sees the winner emerging as champion in the UFC’s inaugural women’s 115 pound weight class. Now, topping off another year of firsts, the Octagon makes its initial trip down Mexico way. The inaugural Mexico event is highlighted by two world class strikers prepped to make history at the Mexico City Arena with a shiny piece of UFC gold awaiting the victor for Saturday’s headliner. Taking center stage are Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt set to collide in a 5-round Interim UFC Heavyweight title fight for the ages. Here is a closer look at the main event for the UFC 180: Werdum vs. Hunt pay-per-view live from Mexico.

PrideFC and Strikeforce veteran Fabricio Werdum (18-5-1) has only tasted defeat 3 times out of his last   13 outings, with the most recent loss happening via points verdict opposite Alistair Overeem in 2011. Since then, the Judo black belt has put together an impressive 4-fight win streak.  His 2012 triumphs include a unanimous decision over former IFL champion, Roy Nelson followed by a 1^st round TKO of Mike Russow that summer. In 2013, the 2^nd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu showcased his ground game as he avenged a Pride Fighting Championships loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via 2^nd round armbar submission. This year in April for his first main event on a UFC on FOX card, the black belt in Muay Thai embarrassed 3-1 favorite Travis Browne via lopsided decision as he slipped punches while effortlessly stringing along various assortments of offense behind his crisp jab, 2 and 3-punch combinations as well as perfectly time head & body kicks. If there is a style of fighting in the cage or ring, Werdum’s experience locally and abroad has already seen it and has an answer ready for it.

PrideFC veteran and KO artist “Super Samoan” Mark Hunt (10-8-1), enters the cage for his first ever UFC title bid having only lost 1 out of his last 7 matches. Of them, 4 did not go the distance because Hunt’s power separated his foes from their consciousness in 3 rounds or less. If his endurance should ever be in question, the Samoan’s chin and power are one of a kind but he is not afraid to go the full 25 minutes as highlighted by last December’s war opposite Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva which earned both men fight bonuses for their Australia headliner. The match saw them trade knockdowns while absorbing mind-blowing punishment, a true testament to the heart and desire of an MMA fighter. Hunt followed up that classic with a sensational KO victory over Roy “Big Country” Nelson. The main event bout took place less than 2 months ago at UFC Fight Night 52 in Saitama, a semi-homecoming for Hunt seeing as how the first half of his career was spent fighting in Japan. He needed just 2 rounds to finish the granite-chinned American with one punch, an impressive feat since Nelson had never been knocked out in his entire UFC career.  If anything can be taken from Mark Hunt’s otherworldly firepower is that he personifies the phrase, “he has a puncher’s chance”.

Originally given the assignment to main event UFC 180 were Fabricio Werdum and champion, Cain Velasquez. Coincidentally, both heavy hitters previously competed as head coaches of this year’s first ever TUF: Latin America. Velasquez pulled out due to a knee injury in October thus a slight alteration materialized regarding the main event; no longer a title bout but now an interim title bout. Regardless of the news, Fabricio Werdum continued his training having already relocated to Mexico City in order to adjust to the higher elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level. Mark Hunt on the other hand took this fight on roughly a month’s notice with very little time to adjust to the climate, conditions and style of his opponent. This only further warrants Werdum’s status as a 5 to 1 favorite over the former K-1 Grand Prix Champion. Incidentally, that figure might not seem high enough seeing as how 50% of Werdum’s   wins have come by submission and in turn 5 out of Hunt’s 8 losses have come via tap out.

Werdum would only see fit to use his superior condition to take this championship bout into deep waters. Pop his jab to keep his man at bay, incorporate the Thai clinch to avoid trouble when necessary to cut the distance off and rock his opponent with short elbows and knees to the body, thus draining his man’s gas tank before dragging the fight to the mat. Weathering the storm is crucial because against a man as dangerous as Mark hunt the storm has neither warning nor an end. On the other hand a warrior of Hunt’s caliber can take a fight on a week’s notice and pose a legitimate threat to any reign, reputation or win streak. When numbers, statistics and figures mean nothing is usually in the fight game, where a man’s accomplishments are recognized as well as elevated by the admiration of his heart and soul.

In Mexico this Saturday live from the Mexico City Arena for the UFC 180 pay-per-view featuring Fabricio Werdum taking on Mark Hunt for the UFC Interim Heavyweight title, the only number that will matter exists between the opening minute of the first round and the last second of the fight when one of these amazing fighters is declared the winner.