Werdum Facing Surgery, Fedor May Legitimately Get the Next Shot at Overeem

Well, Alistair Overeem, Scott Coker and M-1 Global's collective prayers may have been answered.

According to a report from Super Lutas, Werdum may be out of action for the rest of the year due to an injury that will likely require surgery and rehab to remedy, likely clearing the way for an Alistair Overeem-Fedor Emelianenko Strikeforce heavyweight title fight later this year.

MMAMania has the English translation of the interview that was originally written in Portugese:

"Everything has changed for better for me. That was very important. I’ve gotten over 30 phone calls a day in my gym after the win, more students have come, the seminar value went up. It’s like at any other profession, a singer, soccer player, as you develop and get the spotlight the value changes. After the seminars I will undergo a surgery on my elbow that I have put off for some time. We’re in July and I only want to come back 100-percent recovered. I think it’s hard to make it back this year due the physical therapy, conditioning and all else. Then I might just get back next year."

With Emelianenko's last fight on his current deal with the U.S. organization looming, Strikeforce's lack of apt heavyweight contenders and Overeem's vocalized desire to face the Russian fighter, if Werdum does go under the knife, the fight is all but a done deal if Strikeforce and M-1 can come to reasonable terms to make it happen.

I can see them trying to play hardball with the co-promotion revenue for the bout that will no doubt anchor a pay-per-view, but considering Fedor lost his last fight, M-1's power to negotiate has waned substantially.

Two things that seemed like definites in Fabricio Werdum's future just a week ago are no longer the locks they once seemed to be.

First, while Werdum does have an elbow problem that is soon to be addressed, surgery has not yet been recommended by any doctors.

And second, the rematch with Fedor Emelianenko that Werdum spoke of in the moments right after his stunning upset is no longer first and foremost on the Brazilian's mind.

News of Werdum's possible year-ending surgery broke about a week ago, but his manager Richard Wilner said his client may have spoken too soon. Surgery is certainly possible, but no guarantee.

"Dr. Fabricio Werdum is the one who said he needs surgery," he said. "But he hasn't yet been evaluated by a doctor. We have an appointment scheduled for next week, so we are still waiting to hear what the doctors have to say. If sugery is in fact necessary, it would be a very minor thing. It's not a traumatic injury."

Though Wilner said they're unaware of what exactly the injury is, its effect is more dysfunctional than painful. it doesn't allow Werdum to straighten his left arm, so it always appears in a bent angle.

"It happens to boxers a lot from repetitive motion," he said. "He's had it for a long time. He's just put off dealing with it for a while because he was training for fights."

If doctors determine surgery is in fact necessary, Wilner believes it will indeed be minor and only knock him out of action briefly. The next question, then, would be who Werdum might face in his Fedor follow-up.

In the moments right after the 69-second victory, Werdum said he'd graciously grant Emelianenko a rematch, and even do so on Russian soil. But once he had a chance to sit back and take in the entire situation, other thoughts came into play.

"That was with the emotions of the fight running high," Wilner said. "Once emotions subside and rationale thought prevails, Fabricio understands there's no upside to a rematch with Fedor unless M-1 puts a significant amount of money on the table. We have no rematch clause in our contract with Strikeforce."

Told that Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem recently voiced a desire to fight Werdum with the belief that he's "100 percent sure I'm going to beat him," Wilner laughed.

"He guarantees he'll win, just like the last time Fabricio kicked his ass," he said. (Werdum defeated Overeem by kimura in the 2006 PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix.)

"While we're open to the possibility of fighting Fedor again, whatever opportunity that Strikeforce puts in front of us, as long as it makes sense, we'll consider it," Wilner said.