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Coach Who Gave Him His Black Belt Says Werdum Always Wanted Fedor

Fabricio Werdum shocked the world last Saturday when he submitted Fedor Emelianenko.

The Russian heavyweight had long been one of the most feared fighters in the game, but Sylvio Behring, the jiu-jitsu instructor who gave Werdum his black belt, says Werdum always dreamed of fighting Fedor.

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“In 2005, I went with him to help Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ (train) to fight against Fedor,” Behring said. “I remember that Werdum talked all the time about his will to fight (Fedor). First he beat his brother Aleksander and then had his chance and also submitted Fedor.”

One of the most respected jiu-jitsu teachers in the world, Behring believes Werdum was born to be a champion.

“Few bet on it, but we knew that Werdum was able to submit Fedor on the ground,” he said. “Fedor committed a very serious mistake in the beginning of the fight. He landed a blow to the chest of Werdum, who rocked a little, and Werdum intelligently dropped and pretended to be hurt. Then Fedor made the big mistake against a great ground fighter -- punching while leaving one arm out and the other (in the guard). Werdum was very well trained. He did not hesitate even a second and made the attack with great accuracy and great technique, with pure jiu-jitsu. The triangle choke is Werdum’s strongest technique. It made him a world champion of jiu-jitsu. Fedor tried to get out by turning his shoulder, but Werdum was very good with a lot of physical strength.”

Behring does not credit jiu-jitsu alone for the victory. He said moving to the U.S. was critical for the Brazilian heavyweight.

“I have spoken with Rafael Cordeiro, who is his muay Thai coach and is always beside him, and Werdum’s move to the U.S.A. was the turning point in his career,” he said. “He is more regimented, with a more disciplined (training) routine, so he is further enhancing his qualities as a warrior.”

Behring called his student’s win a victory for Brazil, for jiu-jitsu and for humility.

“It means that every athlete who has come to MMA with jiu-jitsu as his great feature, it follows that they must emphasize it in their training and not miss opportunities,” he said. “The fighter has to be complete. Since the time of master Helio Gracie, with professor Santa Rosa, they taught boxing to learn the distance. Then the jiu-jitsu fighter has to learn boxing, muay Thai or savate. Not to strike but to get the distance, to not be afraid to take a hit and come in at the right time. Because the goal must always be to go to the ground and submit (the opponent). Werdum’s victory showed those who fell into this error of neutering their game. This is a moment for reflection, for re-emphasis on the ground game because the best fighter in the world was submitted by one of the simplest moves of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.”

Even so, Behring still considers Fedor the best.

“I do not think, and Werdum also said this with great humility, that (Werdum) is the world's No. 1 now,” Behring said. “He won against the number one, with this great opportunity he had, but Fedor is still number one. He made a mistake that cost him, but he is still the best at the weight. Everyone has a time to fall, and that was Fedor’s moment.”

Photo courtesy of Marcelo Alonso
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