For Junior Dos Santos, The Time Is Now

The torch was passed at UFC 188 last night (Sat., June 13, 2015) from Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico, when new champion Fabricio Werdum used superior striking and jiu-jitsu to finish a supposedly indestructible Cain Velasquez.

Former champion Junior Dos Santos sat in the crowd, watching two former opponents duke it out for heavyweight supremacy. Back in 2008, JDS knocked out a terrible striker in Werdum with a vicious first round uppercut at UFC 90. Last night, however, Werdum showed that he can strike with the best of them.

Last night’s defeat marked only the second overall in a very prominent career for Velasquez. The American born, Mexican-blooded fighter fought for the first time since October 2013. The long layoff and extreme Mexico City altitude proved too much for Velasquez to overcome.

For JDS, there is no better time than now. The new heavyweight champion is someone he beat, and beat badly. Even though Werdum has improved mightily since 2008, JDS would still have to have a lot of confidence going into a rematch. ‘Vai Cavalo’ keeps improving with every fight, so expect him to be a different fighter when he defends his crown for the first time.

Even though JDS knocked out Velasquez in their first tilt, he hasn’t been able to solve the puzzle since. Velasquez pushed JDS to the brink in their second fight, and TKO’d him in their third fight. It would have been difficult for the UFC to give dos Santos another shot at Velasquez if he came out victorious last night. JDS has openly stated that he still believes he can beat Velasquez, so taking out Werdum in an eventual title fight might be our only way of seeing a fourth fight between the bitter rivals.

The heavyweight division is as stacked as it has ever been. The years of Velasquez and dos Santos dominating the division are over. Fighters like Andrei Arlovski are trying to prove to the world that they belong at the top, while Stipe Miocic and now Velasquez must prove they deserve a shot at the title.

The division is very much up for grabs, and if JDS wants to stay at the top of the division, he must not falter now. Should he receive the next heavyweight title shot?