Werdum Predicts March Return, Comments on Barnett Signing

After a career-changing win against Fedor Emelianenko on June 26 in Strikeforce and a mid August surgery that removed 27 bone fragments in his elbow, Fabricio Werdum’s life has markedly changed.

"I’m really happy. The surgery was such a success and I’ve been working so hard with the physical therapy that I’ve already made some movement on the ground a few days ago using 70 percent of my power,” said the Brazilian heavyweight, who couldn’t fully extend his arm for the last two years. "My main goal is to work on my shrunken tendon. Besides physical therapy, I’m using a ‘Dim Fist’ machine overnight. That machine works on extending my tendon."

While his elbow mends, Werdum -- who earned a shot at Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem by handing the Russian legend his first loss in nearly a decade -- will embark on a seminar tour around the world.

"On October 16, I’m going to Madrid (Spain) where I have more than 200 students. My brother said that we must have more than a 100 people in that seminar,” he said. “On the 17th and 18th, I’ll teach a seminar in Bordeaux (France). On October 22nd, I’m going to Abu Dhabi to see Marcus Oliveira in the finals of the ADFC tournament. On the 23rd, I’m doing a seminar in Seville (Spain), then on the 30th, I’ll be in a seminar in Croatia. By November 4, I have to return to U.S. to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. On November 5, I’m going to Tokyo, Japan and right after that I return to California to start my MMA training. I believe that by March, I’ll be back to the ring.”

The 33-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt knows he’ll have an expanding field of heavyweights to return to, which was recently strengthened with the signing of former UFC champion Josh Barnett.

"I thought it was a great acquisition to the event. Barnett is a really tough heavyweight,” said Werdum. “ I haven’t thought about facing him yet. My goal now is either a rematch with Fedor or (one) with Overeem for the belt. But actually the most important thing for me is not who they will choose, but that my body is 100 percent recovered, so I can show to the ones who thought I was lucky that I was actually ready and pretty well-trained to fight Fedor.”