Some of you might know him as the man who broke Fedor Emelianenko’s twenty-eight-fight winning run. Most of you know him as the guy who almost got ‘ankle-picked’ by Tony Ferguson. And even fewer might know him as the guy who bounced a boomerang off of Colby Covington! Yes, we’re talking about the ever-eventful Fabricio Werdum. And his latest incident? An all-out brawl in Brazil!
At Spaten Fight Night 2, Werdum’s unpredictable edge came to the forefront. ‘Vai Cavalo ‘took to the corner to back fellow Brazilian Wanderlei Silva as Silva stepped into an exhibition boxing match against retired icon Acelino “Popó” Freitas in the main event of the night. What started as a light-hearted showcase quickly spiraled out of control. 49-year-old Silva repeatedly used illegal tactics, including headbutts, which led the referee to disqualify him in the 4th round. Tempers flared immediately on both sides, and soon after, the fighters and their teams erupted into a wild brawl, reminding fans of the infamous chaos at UFC 229 between the Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov camps.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Brazilian MMA night erupts into chaos as Fabrício Werdum attacks in the ring
After Silva repeatedly headbutted his opponent in the fourth round, the officials disqualified him, sparking chaos inside the ring. When the results were announced, Freitas’ son, Rafael, dressed in a tuxedo, struck Silva from behind, knocking the former UFC Hall of Famer unconscious. Meanwhile, Fabrício Werdum, who cornered Silva, went rogue during the fray. Freitas’ team then targeted ‘Vai Cavalo’, escalating the confrontation into a full-scale melee.
A video shared on X by ‘ACD MMA’ captured the chaotic scene, showing a man in a tuxedo landing a stray punch that sent Silva’s head crashing onto the canvas. Later, viral images revealed that Silva suffered a fractured nose and required facial stitches; however, he has since left the hospital.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
In the aftermath, Acelino Freitas accused Fabricio Werdum and members of Silva’s camp of inciting the violence. Known for not tolerating disrespect, Werdum has a history of altercations. For instance, during UFC 216 fight week in 2016, Tony Ferguson, the UFC lightweight legend, and Werdum clashed after Ferguson famously told him, “Hold on, brother, I’m talking,” and “Shut up before I ankle pick you” during media interviews. Officials quickly intervened to separate the fighters.
Fabricio Werdum cemented his fiery reputation during the notorious “boomerang incident” in 2017. In the buildup to his fight with Damian Maia, Colby Covington, seemingly channeling his mentor Chael Sonnen, launched a verbal assault on Brazilians, calling the country a “dump” and its people “filthy animals.” Enraged by the comments, Werdum retaliated by striking Covington with a boomerang, an act that later prompted Covington to press charges against the Brazilian fighter. With so much fight still left in him, what does Werdum think about stepping into a cage again?
Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports
Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports
Werdum shares his candid thoughts on a Fedor Emelianenko rematch
The MMA world has witnessed its fair share of upsets, but few reverberated as loudly as the Strikeforce clash in June 2010, when underdog Fabricio Werdum submitted Fedor Emelianenko in the first round, ending the legend’s decade-long unbeaten streak. Werdum snapped Emelianenko’s 28-fight undefeated run, leaving the Russian icon with a lasting sense of unfinished business. A rematch seemed within reach after the UFC acquired the Japan-based promotion PRIDE along with its roster, which included Emelianenko. However, negotiations ultimately fell through, and Fedor never stepped into the Octagon under the UFC banner.
“I’ve told the UFC many times that I want and would accept that fight,” Emelianenko said, expressing his desire to face ‘Vai Cavalo’. After PRIDE dissolved and talks with the UFC stalled, Fedor signed with U.S. promotion Affliction instead of transitioning directly to the UFC. Werdum has also pursued the idea of a rematch. After concluding his UFC contract following his final fight against Alexander Gustafsson, Werdum, while planning his career outside the promotion and targeting high-profile, lucrative fights, kept the potential rematch with Fedor on the table.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Speaking to MMA Fighting, he shared: “I respected Fedor for a long time,” Fabricio Werdum said. “I never said bad things about him, never in my life. I respect him a lot. But I believe the rematch with him, it’s history for the sport. When I beat him in 2010, I shocked the world, and maybe I shock the world again. I believe I finish him in the first round again. I’ll finish him quickly again, cause I’m very confident. When I have the training and my mind is OK, I go in there, and this is my life.”
The rivalry between Fabricio Werdum and Fedor Emelianenko remains one of MMA’s most compelling matchups. Considering their first encounter and the dominance both fighters displayed at their peak, could Werdum replicate his 2010 victory if they clashed again at the height of their powers? Share your thoughts below.