Werdum to appeal loss to Overeem
Fabricio Werdum: “I have the right to appeal because I don’t want this loss on my record. I’m sure I won.”
Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum lost an uneventful majority decision in a trilogy fight with Alistair Overeem at UFC 213 on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada. The crowd booed the decision as the first two rounds were close, and third was not – Werdum dominated.
Werdum now tells Guilherme Cruz for MMA Fighting that he intends to appeal the decision with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
“The athletic commission gives us a chance to appeal, so I want to see what happens, said the fighter. “I have the right to appeal because I don’t want this loss on my record. I’m sure I won because I won the first and the third rounds, and lost the second one.
“When I lose a fight I admit it, but this one… The crowd booed him, I received a lot of messages. Everyone saw I won. You saw my face after the fight, I couldn’t believe I lost. I was surprised.”
Werdum will likely not be surprised when the appeal is denied. He has zero chance of winning.
In Nevada, like most jurisdictions, the regulating commission will only overturn in three distinct cases. One is a math error, where for example the scores were totaled incorrectly. Another is an official being bribed, or otherwise influenced illegally to render the incorrect decision. And a third is an official not knowing the rules.
Simply making a mistake does not meet the standard. There was no math error, no one bribed a judge, and the judges know the rules. So the appeal will not be successful. Werdum also hopes for a fourth fight.
Werdum also hopes for a fourth fight.
“A fourth fight would be good if I appeal and it doesn’t change the result, he said. “My goal is the belt, and if he’s on my way, I think it would be good to fight him a fourth time. I’d like to fight him a fourth time to show the reality, what really happened. I believe I won. If it’s worth it to fight a fourth time to get to what I want, the belt, that would be interesting, for him.”
Given the fan-unfriendly nature of the bout, a fourth fight is not likely to happen anytime soon, either.