Former UFC heavyweight champions Fabricio Werdum and Junior dos Santos are scheduled to meet for a third time, now under grappling rules, at Kings Championship. The event takes place on Aug. 8 in Florianopolis, Brazil.
“Vai Cavalo” and “Cigano” fought twice before with dos Santos winning both times, and he now enters Werdum’s world for a grappling contest.
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Dos Santos was making his UFC debut in 2009 when he was paired up against a top-ranked Werdum at UFC 90, winning by knockout in just 81 seconds. He was victorious in his next six fights to earn a shot at the belt, finishing Cain Velasquez.
Werdum, a multiple-time ADCC and IBJJF jiu-jitsu world champion, only became undisputed UFC champion six years after his clash with dos Santos, submitting Velasquez months after winning the interim title against Mark Hunt.
The Brazilians veterans rematched under bare-knuckle MMA rules in 2023, with dos Santos coming out victorious via decision. Werdum hasn’t fought since, while “Cigano” went on to knock out Alan Belcher before a recent loss to Robelis Despaigne at the first ever MVP MMA event in May.
