Thoughts & Shots From UFC 198, Bellator 154

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media. MMA fans had a full plate of combat sports action on Saturday, with UFC 198 and Bellator 154 popping off on the same night. The main course was the heavyweight championship fight between Fabricio Werdum and Stipe Miocic, while there were plenty of appetizers from which to choose across the rest of the two cards. My small plate of choice had to be Cristiane Justino’s debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in front of her countrymen in Curitiba, Brazil, but I wouldn’t argue if you liked the Phil Davis-Muhammed Lawal scrap that headlined the Bellator bill.Werdum, Out Go The Lights I was about 100 percent certain Werdum was going to coast to a win over an always game Miocic, right up until I saw him walk out to the cage before 45,000 screaming Brazilians. He looked like one of those people who hire Bruce Buffer to announce their arrival at their wedding reception. He was mugging for the cameras looking like he hadn’t a care in the world. No matter how good a heavyweight fighter may be, he still has to head into a locked cage with a guy who is capable of turning out his lights. Miocic did just that less than three minutes into the first frame, as he dropped Werdum with a short right hand he slotted onto his chin while in full retreat. It was a devastating strike that rendered Werdum unconscious before he face-planted on the mat. Miocic, a mammoth hitter, did what he needed to do to get the UFC gold wrapped around his waist, but I can’t help think that Werdum’s mindset might have played as big a role in the title exchange as Miocic’s nuclear right hand. Werdum had no excuses for his loss, stating that Miocic was the better man in the cage, but he made his case for an immediate rematch, potentially at UFC 200. I think we can safely assume that will not be happening, but I guess a rematch could be a possibility. I’d prefer to see either Cain Velasquez or Alistair Overeem get a shot after such a definitive finish, but you never know what matchmaker Joe Silva and the rest of the UFC brass have in mind or which way the promotional winds may blow when it comes time to book the next heavyweight title fight. I’m sure Werdum is pretty …

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