Fabricio Werdum sees PFL as the perfect destination for the final chapter of his career.
Werdum (24-9-1), who signed a contract to join PFL’s heavyweight division for the upcoming 2021 season, likes the idea of competing in a tournament setting that could lead up to five fights a year, if he makes it all the way to the finals.
Now firmly at the veteran stage of his career, the former UFC heavyweight champion is targeting eight more fights before he calls it quits and, with the PFL’s season-based format, his path is all mapped out for him.
“I saw in PFL the respect, the honor that they have in the PFL for the fighters,” Werdum told MMA Junkie. “This is very important for us, this is a very important thing when the organization respects the guys, and I saw that. In the PFL, maybe you fight four times a year. I said, ‘What? Four times a year? This is a good idea.’ I love that because I have two more years, maybe three.”
Werdum also thinks that his fighting style would fare well under tournament conditions. Not only does he have an incredible amount of experience under his belt, he also knows that his slick ground game would pose serious problems for plenty of the heavyweights on the roster.
“I saw that the style is like wrestling,” Werdum said. “It’s like strong guys, but I saw that the game plan is takedowns, staying on top. Bu, when the guys take me down, I say, ‘Thank you, I appreciate it!’ because this is my home. You take me down, I say, ‘Thank you, because I have a guillotine, triangle, armbar, sweep.’ I’m OK there, no problem.”