Training for his next fight in the octagon, at UFC 90, Fabrício Werdum will face Junior “Cigano” dos Santos with only result in mind: the victory. With two victories in a row in the octagon, the Chute Boxe fighter has more experience than Cigano, an UFC newcomer who got a chance against one of the heavyweight top fighters. “I’m ranked as 6th and he’s coming from down… This fight will be great to him, but if I win it’ll be nothing more than an obligation and I know that”, said Werdum in an exclusive interview to TATAME.com, commenting about his future in the event and analyzing Couture-Lesnar and Nogueira-Mir fights.

How is the training for the fight?

Now it’s the final part, we have this whole week and then the fight. I’ve trained everything I had to do here at Chute Boxe, the system here is tough, you know, it’s all day long. I’m doing my preparation with Madson and developing my Muay Thai with Julio Borges.. The fight will be good, everybody will see it.

What you had different in this preparation?

I’m 118kg (260lbs) now, before starting my preparation with him I was 113kg (249lbs). I’m very strong, a lot of people will be surprised. I’m more prepared than my last two fights, because I’m focusing in my physical preparation, I’m faster, not getting tired… I started this special preparation with him two months ago, training every day, and it has been great.

How do you think this fight is going to be?

I’m felling well and like I always said, the tough part isn’t the fight, that’s our jog, but the everyday is tougher, away from my family, I barely see my daughter, who completes one year old in November 4^th. All hit suffering and dedication someone is gonna suffer too, suffer on my hands (laughs).

Which advantages do you think Cigano can have by training with Nogueira, who faced you at Pride?

This fight will be great to Cigano, but I’m on my way to the belt for a long time. I don’t like to say this because people can thing I’m not being humble, but I’m sixth on the rankings and he’s coming from down, if I win is nothing more than an obligation, everybody knows that, my obligation is to win. Few people know him and I know the guys from Minotauro team are saying to him that he can’t lose, it’s the opportunity of his life, but I won’t let him use me to get to the tops easily, it’s impossible. It won’t happen against me.

How do you see your future in the heavyweight division in the UFC? You said your contract says your next fight will be for the title… Does anyone contact you to talk about it?

Now things had change a little, I’ll have to wait more, because I didn’t put any right day for this fight, so I’ll have to win Cigano and then wait… With Couture back to the event it has complicated a little, I don’t think it’s fair to put Brock LEsnar to fight with him only because he’s popular, it’s wrong. I think it’d be fair to put Minotauro against Couture and then I’ll face the winner and get my title shot. Lesnar is big and strong, but don’t deserve a title shot.. If they want to, I can face Cigano and then Lesnar… I don’t think Frank Mir deserves that either, he’s there only because he’s doing the Big Brother of fights… The only one who deserves that is Minotauro, he has the interim belt, and them it’d be fair if I face one of them.

How do you think it’s gonna be Couture’s fight with Lesnar?

Lesnar’s only chance is to hit Couture strongly in the beginning, but fight is a fight, everything can happen, but I bet everything on Couture. With a good strategy, putting him down, Brock will get tired and I think Randy will win.

And who you think will meet Couture in 2009?

Of course it’ll be Minotauro, and then I’ll meet the winner. Frank Mir has no chances, his time has gone… I saw his fight against Brandon Vera and he was heavy, Minotauro will win this, 100%.