Originally scheduled to face each other for the second time in February, an injury to Velasquez scrapped the bout, and heavyweight history was ultimately altered, as Werdum went on to lose the belt he took from Velasquez in June of 2015 to Stipe Miocic at UFC 198 in May.
Since that bout, Brazil’s Werdum bounced back with a three round unanimous decision over Travis Browne in September that cemented his No. 1 ranking atop the division. But while Werdum is seeking a championship rematch with Miocic, he first has business to settle with the No. 2-ranked Velasquez.
A two-time heavyweight champion, California’s Velasquez bounced back from his defeat to Werdum with a Performance of the Night knockout of Browne at UFC 200 in July. And in December, he not only wants to earn a crack at the belt and the opportunity to join Randy Couture as the only fighters in UFC history to win the heavyweight championship three times, but to avenge the second loss of his career against the man who submitted him at UFC 188.
UFC 207, which is headlined by the UFC women’s bantamweight championship bout between Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey, airs live on Pay-Per-View.
