UFC 198: Werdum vs. Miocic | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Ariel Helwhiney
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 198: Werdum vs. Miocic. May 14, 2016. Arena da Baixada, Curitiba, Brazil. Stipe Miocic walked into a stadium of 45,000 hostile Brazilians and knocked out champion Fabricio Werdum with a single counter right hand 2:47 into round one to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Only the second man in Werdum’s career to stop him.
Miocic backpedaled from Werdum’s aggressive forward movement and caught him rushing in with a short right hand to the chin. Werdum fell face-first to the canvas. Stunned silence from 45,000 Brazilians. Miocic post-fight: ‘Cleveland, we have a champion!’
Ronaldo Souza stopped Vitor Belfort by TKO in round one in the co-main. Cris Cyborg stopped Leslie Smith in 81 seconds. Demian Maia submitted Matt Brown in round three. Anderson Silva had been scheduled but withdrew four days before with acute cholecystitis requiring surgery.
Contents
Quick Stats
Date: May 14, 2016
Venue: Arena da Baixada, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil (stadium venue)
Attendance: ~45,000; one of the largest live UFC crowds in Brazil
Main Event: Fabricio Werdum (c) vs. Stipe Miocic — UFC HW Championship
Result: Miocic def. Werdum — KO (Punch) R1, 2:47 — only 2nd man to stop Werdum; Miocic’s famous call-out: ‘Cleveland, we have a champion!’
Notable: Anderson Silva withdrew 4 days before with acute cholecystitis (gallbladder surgery); Cris Cyborg UFC main card debut
Co-Main: Ronaldo Souza def. Vitor Belfort — TKO R1, 4:38 — MW
Bonuses: FOTN: Trinaldo/Medeiros ($50k each); POTN: Miocic + Ronaldo Souza ($50k each)
The Build-Up
Miocic had earned the title shot with a 54-second TKO of Andrei Arlovski at UFC 195 in January 2016. He entered as a significant underdog against Werdum — the BJJ world champion and grappling specialist who had used his guard to submit Cain Velasquez and take the HW title at UFC 188 in 2015. Werdum was fighting in front of a stadium crowd in Brazil. The smart money was on his submission game.
The concern for Miocic was keeping the fight on the feet and not getting drawn into the grappling game. His plan was counter-striking: backpedal, make Werdum chase, and punish the forward pressure. It worked perfectly in 2:47.
Main Event
Fabricio Werdum (c) vs. Stipe Miocic — UFC HW Championship
Werdum came out aggressively from the opening bell, throwing leg kicks and pressing forward. Miocic moved back, measuring distance. Werdum attempted a single-leg — stuffed. Both men exchanged in the centre. Werdum came rushing forward with his hands wide, trying to land a left hand. Miocic threw a counter right hand that landed on Werdum’s chin. Werdum fell face-first to the canvas and did not move. The referee stopped it at 2:47.
Miocic cleared the cage and began shouting to the stunned Brazilian crowd. Post-fight to Joe Rogan: ‘Cleveland, we have a champion!’ He was only the second person to stop Werdum in his career, following Alistair Overeem’s KO in 2011.
Co-Main Event
Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza vs. Vitor Belfort — Middleweight
Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza got top position early, worked to mount, and landed ground-and-pound until the referee stopped it at 4:38 of round one. The TKO of Vitor Belfort was comprehensive and positioned Jacare as the logical next MW title challenger. Belfort’s era as a UFC contender was effectively over after the loss.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Patrick Cummins — TKO — R1 — LHW; Little Nog dominant jab/left hand
Thiago Santos def. Nate Marquardt — TKO (Punches) — R1, 3:39 — MW; Santos early UFC rise
Demian Maia def. Matt Brown — Sub (RNC) — R3, 4:31 — WW; Maia dominant grappling clinic; positioned for WW title shot
Francisco Trinaldo def. Yancy Medeiros — Decision — R3 — LW; FOTN ($50k each)
Main Card
Bryan Barberena def. Warlley Alves — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 (29-28 x3) — WW
Mauricio Shogun Rua def. Corey Anderson — Decision (Split) — R3 (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) — LHW; close fight; Shogun wins
Cris Cyborg def. Leslie Smith — TKO (Punches) — R1, 1:21 — Catchweight; Cyborg’s UFC debut on main card
Ronaldo Souza def. Vitor Belfort — TKO (Punches) — R1, 4:38 — MW; Co-Main; POTN ($50k)
UFC HW Championship — Main Event
Stipe Miocic def. Fabricio Werdum — KO (Punch) — R1, 2:47 — HW Championship; POTN ($50k); only 2nd man to stop Werdum; ‘Cleveland, we have a champion!’
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Francisco Trinaldo vs. Yancy Medeiros — $50,000 to each fighter.
Performance of the Night: Stipe Miocic + Ronaldo Souza — $50,000 each.
Records & Milestones
Stipe Miocic — second man ever to stop Fabricio Werdum. Became the first Cleveland/Ohio UFC HW Champion. He would go on to make three consecutive HW title defences (UFC record), losing the title to Francis Ngannou and then reclaiming it.
Cris Cyborg — UFC debut fight on the main card at UFC 198. The 1:21 TKO was her fastest UFC finish and established her presence in the UFC as the most feared women’s combatant not in the established BW/WSW divisions.
Demian Maia def. Matt Brown — Maia’s grappling clinic moved him firmly into WW title contention. He went on to challenge Tyron Woodley for the WW title at UFC 214 in 2017.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 198 is Miocic’s origin story. The counter right hand in 2:47, in a hostile stadium, against the champion, is the single punch that defined his career. The stunned silence from 45,000 Brazilians was the sound of a title changing hands in the most emphatic way possible.
The card also delivered Cris Cyborg’s UFC arrival, Demian Maia’s grappling showcase, and Jacare Souza’s TKO of Belfort. For Brazilian fans expecting four home wins, it was a difficult night on the card outside of Jacare’s finish.
FAQ
How did Miocic KO Werdum at UFC 198?
Werdum was rushing forward with leg kicks in an aggressive style. Miocic backpedaled and measured distance. When Werdum came rushing forward with his hands wide, Miocic threw a short counter right hand that landed on Werdum’s chin. Werdum fell face-first and didn’t move. The fight ended at 2:47 of round one.
Who withdrew from UFC 198 and why?
Anderson Silva was scheduled to fight at UFC 198 but withdrew four days before the event with acute cholecystitis, requiring emergency gallbladder surgery. His scheduled opponent Uriah Hall declined to take a replacement, and the bout was removed from the card.
Was UFC 198 Cris Cyborg’s UFC debut?
Yes. Cris Cyborg made her UFC debut on the main card at UFC 198, stopping Leslie Smith by TKO in 1:21. She had previously competed in Strikeforce and Invicta FC before signing with the UFC.
What did Stipe Miocic say after winning the UFC HW title?
After clearing the cage, Miocic screamed to the stunned Brazilian crowd and said in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan: ‘Cleveland, we have a champion!’ — a nod to his hometown Cleveland, Ohio, which had been waiting for a major sports champion (the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA title five weeks later).
Was Miocic the first to stop Werdum?
No. Alistair Overeem had previously stopped Werdum in December 2011. Miocic was the second. Werdum had not been finished between those two losses, going undefeated from 2012 to 2016.
References
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