Fabricio Werdum will defend his UFC heavyweight title for the first time on May 14, when he faces Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 198 in Brazil.
UFC officials formally announced the bout Friday, as first reported by Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting. Adding additional spice to the announcement was the news that UFC 198 will take place at the Arena da Baixada, a large soccer stadium in Curitiba.
UFC 198 is official w/ Werdum v. Miocic as the main. It’s set for Arena Atletico Paranaense in Curitiba, Brasil, which holds approx 40k.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) March 4, 2016
The 38-year-old Werdum (20-5-1) has not competed since winning the belt from Cain Velasquez last June at UFC 188. The two were originally supposed to wage a rematch last month at UFC 196. However, after Velasquez pulled out just weeks before the fight with an injury, Werdum also withdrew, citing an injury of his own. The entire event was subsequently pulled off pay-per-view and turned into the cable-only UFC Fight Night 82.
Miocic, meanwhile, has been fairly busy. The 33-year-old Cleveland native has won his last two, both by knockout. Most recently, Miocic (14-2) floored Andrei Arlovski in January to gain an inside track for the title shot.
An internationally decorated jiu-jitsu player, Werdum has experienced a later-career renaissance in MMA. He has won nine of his last 10 contests and has not suffered a defeat in the six bouts he's completed since rejoining the UFC in 2012.
Miocic has won five of his last six. Known mainly for his boxing, he dropped a unanimous decision to Junior Dos Santos in 2014; however, the bout did net Miocic and Dos Santos a $50,000 Fight of the Night performance bonus from the UFC. Miocic has earned five such bonuses in 10 career UFC fights—a lucrative testament to a high-powered style that has garnered him 10 knockouts across his pro MMA career.
A bout between Brazilian middleweights Ronaldo Souza and Vitor Belfort will now serve as UFC 198's co-main event.
