After watching Fabricio Werdum dismantle the very tough “Fat Country” Roy Nelson, I’ve decided that he’s my pick to become UFC champion sometime in 2012. Fabricio Werdum is the dark-horse, but I believe that skill-wise he matches up VERY well with every other UFC heavyweight. The heavyweight division in the UFC is stacked. I can’t remember the last time its had so many top-rate fighters: Alistair Overeem, Junior Dos Santos, Roy Nelson, Stefan Struve, Cain Velasquez, Shane Carwin. No longer is under-sized Randy Couture running around as an undersized heavyweight, because of the lack of depth in the division. Couture would stand no chance against the current crop of heavyweights.

I still remember watching a remarkably out-of-shape Werdum get into the ring with complete unknown Junior Dos Santos. Before the fight even happened, I remember thinking that there was going to be an upset. Werdum looked terrible, like he had been training with big macs and beer for the fight. Dos Santos ended up knocking Werdum out of the UFC, and has proven that boxing can take you places in MMA.

While I predict Overeem will become the next UFC champion, after beating Dos Santos, I think Werdum matches up really well with him. Werdum has proven that his striking has greatly improved, and looks in great physical shape now. In his previous Strikeforce match with Overeem it even appeared that he was outstriking Overeem at times, who is a K-1 level striker. Werdum also has that X-factor, his years and years of BJJ, which notched him the win against Fedor Emelianko. I believe because of this Fabricio Werdum could submit any UFC heavyweight to become the next champion!