After Velasquez withdrawal, Fabricio Werdum calls for Stipe Miocic rematch in 2017

This Friday, the UFC will close the curtains on an unforgettable year with UFC 207. The card is a fittingly stacked one.

In the main event, we’ll see women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes take on returning former champ Ronda Rousey. In the co-main event, meanwhile, dominant men’s bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz will take on undefeated challenger Cody Garbrandt. Elsewhere on the card, we’ll witness appearances from former champions like TJ Dillashaw and Johny Hendricks, who will be taking on top talents in John Lineker and Neil Magny respectively. Needless to say, UFC 207 is an excellent card.

Regrettably, though, the card did lose one of its most anticipated battles late last week: a heavyweight rematch between former champions Fabricio Werdum and Cain Velasquez. This bout was cancelled when Velasquez was forced out of the contest with an injury. Though the American Kickboxing Academy star apparently had every intention to fight injured – and was cleared by a doctor to do so – the Nevada State Athletic Commission ultimately deemed him ‘unfit’ to fight, and so he was pulled from the card. When no replacement opponent could be found for Werdum, he too was removed from the UFC 207 lineup.

Though logic would suggest a simple rescheduling of this bout, Werdum seems to have other plans. According to a Sunday night Instagram post, he’s got his eyes on a 2017 rematch with the man that took the title from him in May of 2016: reigning heavyweight king Stipe Miocic. Miocic dethroned Werdum with a beautifully timed, first-round punch in a veritable Knockout of the Year contender.

Só digo uma coisa! Vai acontecer! #2017 @stipemiocicufc I just have one thing to say. This MUST happen! @canalcombateoficial @ufc @mmafightingdotcom @mmajunkie

A photo posted by Fabricio Werdum (@werdum) on Dec 25, 2016 at 7:47pm PST

“I just have one thing to say,” Werdum said in his Instagram post. “This MUST happen!” 

Do you think Fabricio Werdum should get the next heavyweight title shot over Cain Velasquez? Or should they rematch as originally planned to determine the division’s number one contender? Sound off, PENN Nation!