What happened to Fabricio Werdum? Ex-UFC champion’s face looks unrecognisable after brutal bare knuckle boxing defeat

Fabricio Werdum re-entered the combat arena to take on fellow ex-champion Junior dos Santos at Gamebred Bareknuckle 5.

This fierce heavyweight clash unfolded at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, on September 8. For Werdum, this fight held immense significance, offering a chance at redemption for a devastating TKO loss to dos Santos back in 2008.

The opening moments of the fight saw both fighters gauging each other's intentions. Werdum initiated the action with a high kick, swiftly blocked by 'Cigano'. They exchanged leg kicks, but Dos Santos displayed a masterful use of quick left jabs, a tactic he would employ throughout the match.

Towards the end of the first round, during a takedown attempt, Werdum suffered a cut over his right eye. The situation escalated when Dos Santos unleashed a powerful right hand, sending Werdum crashing to the canvas.

Check out the the clip below:

Werdum's journey in combat sports has seen him excel in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, where he stands as a four-time world champion. His mastery extends to Judo and Muay Thai, holding coveted black belts in these disciplines.

During his tenure in the UFC, Werdum's prowess was evident, earning him the distinction of being the UFC Heavyweight Champion. His accomplishments and skill set earned him a ranking of #14 in the UFC heavyweight at the time of his departure from the organization.

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When Fabricio Werdum recalled receiving an unusual gift after a UFC win

Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum recently shared a fascinating story about an unexpected gift he received from Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov following a UFC victory.

During a recent episode of the Brazilian podcast Podpah, 'Vai Cavalo' recalled:

"So I'm in the fight, the fight is over, I won, I gave the interview, and when Joe Rogan was leaving, I took the mic and said, 'Akhmat Sila.'"

This seemingly simple utterance had significant consequences. The former champ continued:

"Man, when I said 'Akhmat Sila,' I got off the octagon, and the president called me on FaceTime, 'Werdum, I really liked it! Akhmat Sila! When you come home, go wherever you want and buy the car you want, I want to give you a car as a gift.' I said, 'No, I can't take it.' 'Yes, you can, take the car you want'... I went to Mercedes. I stopped by Mercedes very quickly."

Check out Fabricio Werdum in the podcast below: