Leaving a lasting legacy is something that many people aspire to do. For some that could mean starting a family, for others it could mean having made a positive impact on a person or a group of people. Legacy is not always measurable or even tangible but still people place a deal of great importance on it. In sports, however, a lasting legacy is often based on the numbers. If it can be counted or measured, you’d better believe someone is out there compiling data to prove once and for all why someone who was great is deserving of some silly award. But the awards don’t always hold up; sometimes it is the immeasurable things that truly create the legacy a team, player, or fighter hopes to leave behind. In the case of one time UFC heavyweight champion Frabricio Werdum, his run to the top won’t likely be remembered for a series of great fights, but instead for a stupid face that has stuck with him, just like the old wives’ tale promised.
Frabricio Werdum was an unlikely champion. When his career began, he was fairly one-dimensional and against top-level opponents, he had trouble implementing his game plan. After a good showing early in his career in Japan, he made his way to the UFC only to go 2-2 and be released from the promotion. At the time, even though his record was 11-4, it seemed the best of Werdum was gone. Then came the Zuffa LLC acquisition of Strikeforce. Many of the best fighters from Strikeforce made their way onto the UFC roster, including Werdum, who had gone 3-1 since leaving the UFC. Not only had Werdum been successful away from the UFC, he had managed to hand Fedor Emilianenko his first true defeat. To this point, Fedor was, and in many cases still is, regarded as the greatest heavyweight of all time in mixed martial arts. With that, Werdum was back in fold and all he managed to do was win five fights in a row before toppling UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. When the dust had settled, he had wins over some of the best in the sport and seemed poised to be a lasting champion.
But something had changed. Sometime between UFC 180 in November of 2014 and his fight with Velasquez in June of 2015, it happened; Werdum gave birth to what is being called “Werdum Face.” I am sure you have all seen it; his eyebrows scrunches down, his upper lip curled to an unrealistic smile befitting of the Joker. Some people have called it troll face; others have simply called it, “The Face.” No matter what you call it, the simple fact is Werdum latched onto this ridiculous antic and married his entire title run to the image. He went so far as to have thousands of masks with “Werdum Face” made up and handed out at the weigh-ins for UFC 198. That should have been our first clue that he was going to get completely starched by Stipe Miocic. Much in the way Conor McGregor fell in love with his own persona on his way to a losing effort against Nate Diaz, Werdum seemed more in love with making faces than he was with defending a title.
In the end, Stipe Miocic stole away the belt that could have helped cement a lasting legacy for Werdum. Instead of being the first Brazilian to successfully defend the UFC heavyweight title, he will be the person who started the title run of Miocic. The saddest part to me, he only made one face! Every five year old I have ever met can make more than once face. Maybe if he had thrown in some variety, he would have been all right. Then again, if he had been more interested in punching faces than he was in making them, maybe he would be at home polishing his belt right now.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
