Update: Cain Velasquez Injured, will not face Fabrico Werdum at UFC 172 in Mexico

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/11/6/5072682/cain-velasquez-fabrico-werdum-ufc-172-mexico



UPDATE: Looks like the report from Mexico was hokum. Here's the latest from Yahoo! sports:

UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez had one MRI on his left shoulder and is going to get another in order to determine if he needs surgery, his manager, Bob Cook told Yahoo Sports.

A Spanish-language web site reported Wednesday that Velasquez would defend his belt in the main event of UFC 172 in Mexico City on either April 19 or April 26 against Fabricio Werdum. UFC president Dana White told Yahoo Wednesday that is not true and that Velasquez's injury will delay any foray into Mexico.

It looks as though Cain Velasquez's return to the ring will come at UFC 172 in the early part of 2014. Milenio is reporting that Velasquez will face off against Fabricio Werdum in Mexico City.

From the report (originally in Spanish and mangled via Google Translate):

It's a matter of days for the UFC officially announced the first event in Mexico. The Arena Mexico City will host the Billboard 172 company, a pay per view for America that will be headlined by Cain Velasquez and challenger for the heavyweight belt, the Brazilian Fabricio Werdum.

The date, the weekend of the 19th or April 26th 2014 is perfect for the Mexican American, because even though the medical suspension was discarded six months after his last defense, if you have half a year to make full preparation. On Tuesday afternoon, the president of the promoter Dana White confirmed that the announcement will take place on Mexican soil as they become ready. That moment could come in the coming weeks as the company's promotional activity intensifies.

Werdum lost to Junior dos Santos at UFC 90 and then went to Strikeforce where he became the man to end Fedor Emelianenko's win streak, going 3-1 in the company with the lone loss being an uninspired bout with Alistair Overeem.

Werdum has gone 3-0 since returning to the UFC, picking up wins over Roy Nelson, Mike Russow and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

A late April date will mean that Werdum will spend almost a full year outside the cage.

One interesting wrinkle here could be using Cain to try and capture the Mexican audience. There is a longstanding rivalry in boxing (undisputedly the fight sport in Mexico) between Mexican and Mexican-American boxers. It's more of an on and off thing but it has been around for a long time, bubbling up from time to time. It's likely to not be a huge issue as Chris Arreola is Mexican-American and was received very well when he fought in Mexico in 2011.

That Cain isn't fighting against a Mexican opponent will likely mean that nothing comes of the rivalry, and I'm sure the UFC has plenty of market research to know how he has been received to this point. It's just an interesting little wrinkle that will be interesting to follow in terms of exactly how well he'll be embraced.




http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/11/6/5072682/cain-velasquez-fabrico-werdum-ufc-172-mexico#



It looks as though Cain Velasquez's return to the ring will come at UFC 172 in the early part of 2014. Milenio is reporting that Velasquez will face off against Fabricio Werdum in Mexico City.

From the report (originally in Spanish and mangled via Google Translate):

   It's a matter of days for the UFC officially announced the first event in Mexico. The Arena Mexico City will host the Billboard 172 company, a pay per view for America that will be headlined by Cain Velasquez and challenger for the heavyweight belt, the Brazilian Fabricio Werdum.

   The date, the weekend of the 19th or April 26th 2014 is perfect for the Mexican American, because even though the medical suspension was discarded six months after his last defense, if you have half a year to make full preparation. On Tuesday afternoon, the president of the promoter Dana White confirmed that the announcement will take place on Mexican soil as they become ready. That moment could come in the coming weeks as the company's promotional activity intensifies.

Werdum lost to Junior dos Santos at UFC 90 and then went to Strikeforce where he became the man to end Fedor Emelianenko's win streak, going 3-1 in the company with the lone loss being an uninspired bout with Alistair Overeem.

Werdum has gone 3-0 since returning to the UFC, picking up wins over Roy Nelson, Mike Russow and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

A late April date will mean that Werdum will spend almost a full year outside the cage.

One interesting wrinkle here could be using Cain to try and capture the Mexican audience. There is a longstanding rivalry in boxing (undisputedly the fight sport in Mexico) between Mexican and Mexican-American boxers. It's more of an on and off thing but it has been around for a long time, bubbling up from time to time. It's likely to not be a huge issue as Chris Arreola is Mexican-American and was received very well when he fought in Mexico in 2011.

That Cain isn't fighting against a Mexican opponent will likely mean that nothing comes of the rivalry, and I'm sure the UFC has plenty of market research to know how he has been received to this point. It's just an interesting little wrinkle that will be interesting to follow in terms of exactly how well he'll be embraced.

I think Werdum can sub Cain. Werdums ground game is perfect for guys like Cain who rely on keeping pressure on their opponent. Werdum isn't the worst on his feet either, as seen with Nelson.

This fight has grown on me. I wasn't interested as much. First fight in Mexico is pretty big

I'm interested in seeing how Cain draws
It will be no where close to what Chavez did in Mexico but it could be high
Werdums got a shot but I don't see him winning, he deserves the fight though

Worth noting that Werdum is fluent in Spanish and is the 3rd man on the Spanish language broadcast team for UFC cards often, it could help sell this as well as having a US champion with strong Mexican heritage on the marquee.

Personally, I think the idea that Werdum is a bad match up for Cain is wishful thinking.  Werdum doesn't have the tools on the feet to hang with Cain, you can't point to any other fight to argue otherwise because he hasn't come close to facing the type offensive repertoire Cain manufactures standing while I feel safe saying Cain has faced and handled much better strikers and take down artists in his career successfully.  Werdum also isn't going to get to fight on the ground unless Cain decides that is where the fight takes place, he has no say in the matter.  Werdum has even recently let far worse wrestlers back up to the feet out of his guard, he will not be able to contain Cain in any capacity on the mat and survive. If it goes there I see Cain dumping Werdum along the fence and jamming it up into it with position and potentially fight ending GnP, not in positions where Werdum would want to be to get tricky for a sub.  Cain has shown intelligence and focus, Crazy Bob and Javier do an excellent job, the best in the sport, of guiding their big men through a successful path to victory, I expect nothing less then the near perfection we've seen from them the past few years.  Werdum has a skill set but at the end of the day I think he realistically only has the potential to beat Cain in a manner all other comers might, a big power shot to the right spot on the chin, and Werdum is definitely not at the top of the list at HW of guys with a good chance of doing that to Cain imo.  I think Werdum is going to be gassed within 5 minutes, tko'd within 10.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/11/6/5072682/cain-velasquez-fabrico-werdum-ufc-172-mexico



UPDATE: Looks like the report from Mexico was hokum. Here's the latest from Yahoo! sports:

UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez had one MRI on his left shoulder and is going to get another in order to determine if he needs surgery, his manager, Bob Cook told Yahoo Sports.

A Spanish-language web site reported Wednesday that Velasquez would defend his belt in the main event of UFC 172 in Mexico City on either April 19 or April 26 against Fabricio Werdum. UFC president Dana White told Yahoo Wednesday that is not true and that Velasquez's injury will delay any foray into Mexico.

It looks as though Cain Velasquez's return to the ring will come at UFC 172 in the early part of 2014. Milenio is reporting that Velasquez will face off against Fabricio Werdum in Mexico City.

From the report (originally in Spanish and mangled via Google Translate):

It's a matter of days for the UFC officially announced the first event in Mexico. The Arena Mexico City will host the Billboard 172 company, a pay per view for America that will be headlined by Cain Velasquez and challenger for the heavyweight belt, the Brazilian Fabricio Werdum.

The date, the weekend of the 19th or April 26th 2014 is perfect for the Mexican American, because even though the medical suspension was discarded six months after his last defense, if you have half a year to make full preparation. On Tuesday afternoon, the president of the promoter Dana White confirmed that the announcement will take place on Mexican soil as they become ready. That moment could come in the coming weeks as the company's promotional activity intensifies.

Werdum lost to Junior dos Santos at UFC 90 and then went to Strikeforce where he became the man to end Fedor Emelianenko's win streak, going 3-1 in the company with the lone loss being an uninspired bout with Alistair Overeem.

Werdum has gone 3-0 since returning to the UFC, picking up wins over Roy Nelson, Mike Russow and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

A late April date will mean that Werdum will spend almost a full year outside the cage.

One interesting wrinkle here could be using Cain to try and capture the Mexican audience. There is a longstanding rivalry in boxing (undisputedly the fight sport in Mexico) between Mexican and Mexican-American boxers. It's more of an on and off thing but it has been around for a long time, bubbling up from time to time. It's likely to not be a huge issue as Chris Arreola is Mexican-American and was received very well when he fought in Mexico in 2011.

That Cain isn't fighting against a Mexican opponent will likely mean that nothing comes of the rivalry, and I'm sure the UFC has plenty of market research to know how he has been received to this point. It's just an interesting little wrinkle that will be interesting to follow in terms of exactly how well he'll be embraced.

Would be pretty devastating news if Cain has to get his shoulder knifed again, really hope that is not the case.