8 Dream Fights For Jon Jones As A UFC Heavyweight
4. Fabricio Werdum
This spot was originally reserved for a heavyweight bout with Bellator's Ryan Bader, but then he was brutally decimated by Vadim Nemkov, just days after Bellator's president suggested his promotion had the best light heavyweight division in the world, headed by Bader. In the words of Dana White, "It's the dumbest f*****g thing I've ever heard." With that in mind, welcome to the list, Fabricio Werdum!
Given the striker-heavy entrants on this list, Werdum gets the nod over the likes of Rozenstruik and Dos Santos, simply for his differing style and legendary status in the UFC. He may be past his prime, but the idea of Jones and Werdum colliding in the Octagon is an attractive matchup for long-term fans of the sport. The Brazilian holds a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and Muay Thai. Although a far-cry from the Werdum we saw prior to his suspension, he's accomplished a number of heavyweight feats throughout his career, namely he was the first man to decisively defeat the great Fedor Emelianenko.
The former UFC Heavyweight Champion has collected 12 submission wins in his career, including victories via armbar, kimura and guillotine. This is perhaps not the biggest drawing matchup on this list but it certainly still holds some intrigue, a fight which would see Jones up against one of the UFC's greatest submission specialists. Even the best have crumbled to Werdum, and the mind can't help but wonder what would happen should Werdum manage to create a submission opening against the so far unbeaten defence of Jon Jones.
It didn't take long for Werdum to crash the heavyweight debut of Alexander Gustafsson on Fight Island. Maybe he could shock the world on another man's debut in the division...