The Mac
06-27-2010, 08:10 PM
Like famed boxer Mike Tyson before him, MMA great Fedor Emelianenko (31-2 MMA, 1-1 SF) has always had a presence about him.
Many an opponent of the Russian heavyweight has admitted after the facat that the icy cold stare of Emelianenko left them at a mental disadvantage from the opening bell.
Not so for Brazilian Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1 MMA, 3-0 SF), who defeated Emelianenko in the main event of Saturday's "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum" event in San Jose, Calif. – at least not as far as he can remember.
"I never fear a fight," Werdum told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) at the evening's post-event press conference. "I like to fight. It's my life.
"I looked at Fedor, and I was confident because my training is hard training. I know this is Fedor, but I believe in myself."
In the build-up to Saturday's shocking upset, Werdum was always confident in himself, even as most experts gave him little chance to win. But Werdum credits hard work and a strong support system for helping him approach the fight completely prepared.
"I trained on the ground," Werdum said. "I trained standup. I trained wrestling. [Muhammad 'King Mo' Lawal], the champion, helped me. I trained everything, but the plan was on the ground because I started in jiu-jitsu. I'm training all the time in jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling, boxing.
"It's very important to be surrounded by a good vibe and people that believe in you. You have a team behind you, and they believe in you, and that helps you step-up your game."
Confident in himself and his preparation, Werdum was able to overlook the intimidation factor, even as Emelianenko dropped him with an early bomb.
Of course, Werdum might feel differently once he gets a chance to watch tape of the contest.
"I don't remember the fight right now," Werdum admitted. "I don't have a memory of it right now. Fedor punched me?"
After the room erupted at what most thought was a joke, the Brazilian clarified his honesty.
"I'm not joking," Werdum said. "I'm serious. Maybe those punches affected my mind. He's a strong guy."
But despite not knowing exactly why he was on his back as the Russian sambo master came crashing down on top of him, Werdum was able to instinctually lock in the triangle choke/armbar combination that ultimately forced Emelianenko to tap just 69 seconds into their matchup.
Werdum said he knew there was a possibility he could win the fight in such a manner, but the timing of the sequence could not have been more beneficial.
"I think because it was the first round, there was no sweat," Werdum said. "Maybe the second round, it's not possible because there's a lot of sweat and he's slippery. Maybe it's not possible, the triangle. But the first round doesn't have the sweat, and it's better for me."
The finish was announced in the cage as an armbar, though Emelianenko later admitted it was the pressure of the triangle choke that forced him to tap. Werdum said he was alternating between the maneuvers from his back, and he knew from experience that one would eventually prove effective.
"My finish is good," Werdum said. "It's a strong triangle. I tried to choke the neck, too. After the armbar, I changed it (back and forth) maybe four times.
"One time I went strong on the arm, but Fedor tried to defend. I gripped my shin, and after I tried the armbar one more time, Fedor maybe tapped – the fake tap – and I tried the neck again."
It was textbook Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and Emelianenko had little choice but to tap. Werdum beamed at the accomplishment and joked that he'll soon be sharing his knowledge with aspiring submission aces.
"I wanted [the fight] on the ground," Werdum said. "Maybe I'd try a triangle, or I'd try a kimura or a leglock, but I saw the triangle [first]. I saw the chance, and I didn't let it go.
"This choke is a double. It's an armbar and a choke on the neck. It's both. Did everybody see? This choke, I will show at the next seminar."
A UFC and PRIDE veteran, not to mention an Abu Dhabi Combat Club winner, Werdum is no stranger to success on the sport's biggest stage. That said, becoming the first man to topple Emelianenko is unquestionably the highlight of his eight-year career.
It's also his third victory over a Red Devil fighter with Emelianenko's brother, Aleksander Emelianenko, and fellow Russion Roman Zentsov also falling victim to Werdum submissions in recent years.
It's an accomplishment not lost on Werdum.
"I'm so happy," Werdum said. "It's an honor for me because Alexsander is a tough fighter, too. I beat the other guy, Roman Zentsov, from the same team.
"I like Russia. Maybe I'll vacation to Russia."
Many an opponent of the Russian heavyweight has admitted after the facat that the icy cold stare of Emelianenko left them at a mental disadvantage from the opening bell.
Not so for Brazilian Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1 MMA, 3-0 SF), who defeated Emelianenko in the main event of Saturday's "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Werdum" event in San Jose, Calif. – at least not as far as he can remember.
"I never fear a fight," Werdum told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) at the evening's post-event press conference. "I like to fight. It's my life.
"I looked at Fedor, and I was confident because my training is hard training. I know this is Fedor, but I believe in myself."
In the build-up to Saturday's shocking upset, Werdum was always confident in himself, even as most experts gave him little chance to win. But Werdum credits hard work and a strong support system for helping him approach the fight completely prepared.
"I trained on the ground," Werdum said. "I trained standup. I trained wrestling. [Muhammad 'King Mo' Lawal], the champion, helped me. I trained everything, but the plan was on the ground because I started in jiu-jitsu. I'm training all the time in jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling, boxing.
"It's very important to be surrounded by a good vibe and people that believe in you. You have a team behind you, and they believe in you, and that helps you step-up your game."
Confident in himself and his preparation, Werdum was able to overlook the intimidation factor, even as Emelianenko dropped him with an early bomb.
Of course, Werdum might feel differently once he gets a chance to watch tape of the contest.
"I don't remember the fight right now," Werdum admitted. "I don't have a memory of it right now. Fedor punched me?"
After the room erupted at what most thought was a joke, the Brazilian clarified his honesty.
"I'm not joking," Werdum said. "I'm serious. Maybe those punches affected my mind. He's a strong guy."
But despite not knowing exactly why he was on his back as the Russian sambo master came crashing down on top of him, Werdum was able to instinctually lock in the triangle choke/armbar combination that ultimately forced Emelianenko to tap just 69 seconds into their matchup.
Werdum said he knew there was a possibility he could win the fight in such a manner, but the timing of the sequence could not have been more beneficial.
"I think because it was the first round, there was no sweat," Werdum said. "Maybe the second round, it's not possible because there's a lot of sweat and he's slippery. Maybe it's not possible, the triangle. But the first round doesn't have the sweat, and it's better for me."
The finish was announced in the cage as an armbar, though Emelianenko later admitted it was the pressure of the triangle choke that forced him to tap. Werdum said he was alternating between the maneuvers from his back, and he knew from experience that one would eventually prove effective.
"My finish is good," Werdum said. "It's a strong triangle. I tried to choke the neck, too. After the armbar, I changed it (back and forth) maybe four times.
"One time I went strong on the arm, but Fedor tried to defend. I gripped my shin, and after I tried the armbar one more time, Fedor maybe tapped – the fake tap – and I tried the neck again."
It was textbook Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and Emelianenko had little choice but to tap. Werdum beamed at the accomplishment and joked that he'll soon be sharing his knowledge with aspiring submission aces.
"I wanted [the fight] on the ground," Werdum said. "Maybe I'd try a triangle, or I'd try a kimura or a leglock, but I saw the triangle [first]. I saw the chance, and I didn't let it go.
"This choke is a double. It's an armbar and a choke on the neck. It's both. Did everybody see? This choke, I will show at the next seminar."
A UFC and PRIDE veteran, not to mention an Abu Dhabi Combat Club winner, Werdum is no stranger to success on the sport's biggest stage. That said, becoming the first man to topple Emelianenko is unquestionably the highlight of his eight-year career.
It's also his third victory over a Red Devil fighter with Emelianenko's brother, Aleksander Emelianenko, and fellow Russion Roman Zentsov also falling victim to Werdum submissions in recent years.
It's an accomplishment not lost on Werdum.
"I'm so happy," Werdum said. "It's an honor for me because Alexsander is a tough fighter, too. I beat the other guy, Roman Zentsov, from the same team.
"I like Russia. Maybe I'll vacation to Russia."