Werdum stakes UFC heavyweight title today

MANILA, Philippines – Reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title-holder Fabricio Werdum puts his belt on the line as he clashes with Stipe Miocic in UFC  198 before his hometown crowd in Curitiba, Brazil today.

Werdum will make his first title defense since he brought down former champion Cain Velasquez in UFC 188 last year for his sixth straight victory to improve to 20-5-1 (win-loss-draw).

The Brazilian, whose long list of victims included Fil-Am Brandon Vera in UFC 85 eight years ago in London, will have his hands full though as he will battle Miocic, the No. 2 ranked heavyweight contender who has zoomed to 14-2.

Miocic is coming off a pair of smashing technical knockout victories over Mark Hunt in UFC Fight Night: Miocic vs. Hunt two years ago and Andrei Arlovski in UFC 195 last May.

There were reports the winner of the Miocic-Hunt duel would face off with Allistair Overeem, who has climbed his way to the heavyweight ladder by bashing Arlovski in UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Arlovski in Rotterdam, Netherlands a week back.