Travis Browne vs Werdum: The Heavyweight Title Eliminator Hinges on Browne resigning
No offense to all Werdum fans but I see this fight going the exact same way as Browne's last; ending with vicious elbows. Werdums stand up has improved (Roy Nelson fight especially) but he does not have the physical advantages of height reach and size that Browne is gifted with. With this, Browne has also proven not to be 'just a striker' (from Joe Rogan's last interview) but again proves that striking is and remains his bread and butter. Although Werdum's ground game (bottom and top) are leaps and bounds ahead of Browne, I believe that if the fight does go to the ground Browne can avoid being submitted; basically just because of his rudimentary training with Jackson and natural gifts (assuming that he ends up on top: Werdum pulls guard). This is combined with Werdums confidence on the ground, him being an acclaimed grappler with a perchant for pulling guard AND his success there in ADCC competitions and of course, the fedor fight. If Werdum cannot get this fight on the ground ( and on top), he will either be forced into a lay and pray 25 minutes with Browne winning by decision ( the best chance he has) or forced to test his stand up with a more technical, well rounded and more gifted striker. This, coupled with Werdum's lack of top competition and Browne's surging confidence and momentum (How could you not after knocking out THE REEM?); i think ill give the edge to Browne to win this fight again in the first round, or in the third by TKO