After defeat of Marcin Tybura, Fabricio Werdum explains why he’s earned a heavyweight title shot

Over the weekend, in the main event of the UFC’s anticipated return to Sydney, Australia, former UFC heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum picked up yet another big win, out-pointing rising Polish contender Marcin Tybura. With this win, Werdum extended his current win-streak to two, and his opinion, earned himself another shot at the UFC heavyweight title.

“I feel for sure I deserve it,” Werdum told MMAjunkie at the UFC Sydney post-fight press conference. “It’s not just now for this fight and my last fight. I’ve beat a lot of guys – Fedor Emelianenko, Cain Velasquez, Minotauro (Nogueira). I have a history. For 20 years I’ve been fighting. Not just now. I have two belts in my home. Only one fighter in the world is a jiu-jitsu champion, a submission champion and a UFC champion. It’s me.

“I don’t like when I say that, but I know this is true for sure. Given the opportunity I just want to show again. One more belt on my wall at home, I will stop after that. No, no, I’m joking.”

If the shot doesn’t go to Fabricio Werdum, it’s likely to go to the winner of Alistair Overeem and Francis Ngannou’s UFC 218 battle. According to Werdum, however, Ngannou might not be deserving of the opportunity.

“I want to fight more,” Werdum said. “Long time ago I’ve been waiting one year for a fight. Why am I waiting like six months, seven months? I want to fight more. I want to fight maybe five times a year. This fight (Alistair) Overeem vs. Francis (Ngannou), I don’t think Francis deserves it yet because he just started (MMA) now. Overeem has a big history, too, but I think I deserve the title shot. I just want the opportunity.”

Do you think Fabricio Werdum deserves another shot at UFC heavyweight gold?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 20/11/2017.