Potential Heavyweight #1 Contender Fight Targeted for UFC 213 on July 8th in Vegas

By Muk

A trilogy fight between Alistair Overeem and former UFC Heavyweight Champ Fabricio Werdum is reportedly being targeted for UFC 213 this July in Vegas. This fight would likely produce the next Heavyweight Title challenger, as we know Stipe Miocic and Junior dos Santos are squaring off at UFC 211, where Miocic will look to defend his belt for a second time, attempting to tie the record for most Heavyweight Title defenses in UFC history. Miocic has knocked out both Overeem and Werdum, and dos Santos has knocked out Werdum, but did fall to Overeem in December of 2015.

Werdum and Overeem are no strangers in the octagon, having fought back in Pride in 2006, where Werdum submitted "The Reem", and in Strikeforce in 2011 when Alistair avenged his loss and won via unanimous decision. The trilogy fight should be a great one, with Werdum being probably the most polished submission artist in the Heavyweight Division, while "The Reem" has some of the most devastating striking in the division. Both fighters are coming off strong wins after they were each knocked out in 2016 by the champ Miocic, and a win at UFC 213 would likely land both back in the title picture.

The two possible wrenches that could be thrown into their title hopes would be Cain Velasquez and Derrick Lewis. Velasquez, the former champ who has only fought once since losing his belt in 2015 due to several injuries, including serious back surgery, is still a serious threat to the division, and proved that when he destroyed Travis Browne at UFC 200 this past Summer. Lewis on the other hand is looking for his big break into the title picture, winning 6-straight fights, but he has a big test in front of him when he fights Mark Hunt in June. A win over Hunt can put Lewis next in line for the title shot, as winning 7-straight in the Heavyweight division is incredibly difficult to do - and to deny.