Fabricio Werdum Fires Back at Critics, Following UFC 196 Withdrawal
Fabricio Werdum (photo via UFC.com)
By FCF Staff
Fabricio Werdum has been taking heavy fire from critics, following his decision to pull out of UFC 196, and the heavyweight champion has responded.
After Cain Velasquez was forced to drop out of a Februray 6th bout with Werdum, due to a back injury, the UFC announced that Stipe Miocic would be his replacement. Not long after, however, Werdum also announced he was pulling out of the card and cited a foot and back injury as why. The champion also said that he would have fought at UFC 196, however, if Velasquez had remained as the opponent.
The Brazilian star has received plenty of criticism for his decision, and recently, Werdum released a lengthy statement in response. Here is some of what he had to say (quote via MMA Fighting.com):
I think it was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life not to fight Cain, Miocic or any other fighter because I had a back injury. Yet, at the same time I’m sad I wasn’t able to compete, I’m happy because I was able to see many things after this injury. I spent some time with my family, my wife and kids, and saw that everything is transitory.
Some people talked really bad about me, mean things, and other supported me as family and friends. I was thinking how cruel people can be when I was injured and I made a really important decision. The best decision I’ve ever made in my life. I’m criticized without suffering a defeat, and I imagined how it would be if I had fought for the fans, for the promotion, for anything, and suffered a defeat. But I didn’t suffer a defeat.
I decided not to fight because of my health, so I can recover and be 100 percent. Imagine if you’re remembered as that guy that suffered a severe injury, the guy that became paralyzed. Imagine that. How would people talk about me? Would those people care to know about me later, or only now that I’m the champion?
Werdum submitted Velasquez last June to become champion. The UFC has not announced yet what the promotion’s plans are in terms of who will challenge for the title next.
