Roy Nelson out to fix heavyweight division starting at UFC Fight Night 75

By Case Keefer (contact)

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015 | 2 a.m.

Roy Nelson’s future likely won’t include UFC matchmaking.

Going into his main-event showdown against Josh Barnett (33-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 75 Sunday in Saitama, Japan, Nelson (20-11 MMA, 7-7 UFC) was asked what championship fight he would book to break the heavyweight division’s current standstill. Nelson sprung into his imaginary role as UFC matchmaker Joe Silva without hesitation.

“I’d scrap Roy Nelson-Josh Barnett and throw Roy Nelson with (Champion Fabricio) Werdum,” Nelson said. “Try that fight.”

An assemblage of media laughed; Nelson did not. The 39-year-old local still sees himself on the cusp of title contention despite enduring the roughest stretch of his career.

Nelson has lost two straight and four of his last five bouts, but retains hope based on a parity-stricken division.

“As long as you string up two good wins, you’re right there for the belt,” Nelson said. “Like this fight, I’m ripe for the belt. You’re always in title contention just because you’re a heavyweight. Heavyweights, we switch that role left and right as long as the champions fight.”

Champions haven’t fought often at heavyweight with the weight class averaging barely more than one non-interim championship bout per year since 2010.

Werdum appeared to be the latest culprit in creating a queue at heavyweight when UFC President Dana White said the new champion wanted a break. But Nelson disputed that report, saying his sources indicated differently.

“From what my understanding is, Fabricio wants to fight,” he said. “But they want him to fight Cain (Velasquez), which doesn’t make any (expletive) sense because Cain has fought the same guy like three or four times.”

Before losing his title to Werdum in June, Velasquez had exclusively faced either Junior dos Santos or Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva dating back to 2011.

“I want to do a Cainapooloza,” Nelson said. “Instead of a revenge tour, I want to do what Cain did: Fight everyone three or four times and go, ‘Man, I’m better than this guy.’”

Seeing someone like the 38-year-old Werdum, whom the UFC once cut from its roster, ascend the ranks gives Nelson extra confidence that his best days are still ahead. Heavyweight has long produced career revivals, topped by Randy Couture holding the belt at 45-years-old.

Nelson thinks the value of experience is immeasurable.

“Being in this sport as long as I have, I’ve already fought everybody and I’m ready to fight everybody again,” Nelson said. “I’ve already seen the best they have and you better come with it. I’m a better fighter now than I was last week, the week before and the last fight. I’m always improving, and as long as you’re always improving, you’re golden.”

Nelson isn’t sure whether the fellow veteran Barnett, 38, falls in the same category. He knows Barnett is promising to live up to his reputation by coming forward for a battle in Japan.

Nelson just doesn’t believe him.

“Every fighter says they’re going to come out and try to fight,” he said. “But then with my luck, they all go, ‘No, that hurts, so I’m going to punch and run twice.’”

Nelson considers Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira the only fighter who’s lived up to his word by coming forward and trading in recent bouts. Perhaps not coincidentally, Nelson knocked out Nogueira in the first round for his lone win during the current downturn.

If Barnett similarly brings a fight, Nelson is confident he’ll finish the night one step closer to heavyweight’s apex where he plans to put an end to the inactivity.

“Champions don’t want to fight because they’re like, ‘Whew, I’ve got this belt. It took forever because no one wants to fight for it,’” he said. “If everyone fought three times a year, I think you’d probably see that belt change at least one time a year.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.