Fabricio Werdum will collide with Mark Hunt for the Ultimate Fighting Championship interim heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 180 on Saturday at Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City.

Werdum was supposed to face Cain Velasquez, who is Mexican, for the UFC heavyweight title, but the defending champion, who was looking forward to competing in the company's first event ever held in Mexico, had to withdraw from the match after sustaining a knee injury three weeks ago.

"Obviously, not having Cain in the main event was a disappointment," said Fox Deportes mixed martial arts (MMA) analyst Troy Santiago to Latin Post.com. Santiago is in Mexico City covering the event for the Spanish-language network. "But the fans here are not just here because of Cain Velazquez, they are here because of the sport. Right now, without Cain Velazquez in the main event, Mexican fans are cheering for Fabricio Werdum. We also have the finals to the 'The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America' taking place, which is the first time [UFC] did the reality show here. It's obviously without Cain Velazquez, it's a little sad and there is some disappointment, but there is real excitement for the fights on Saturday."

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Werdum had been preparing well for the fight against Velasquez, but must now adjustments after the reigning champion's withdrawal from the bout. The 37-year-old remains confident, though, that he will have an advantage against Hunt despite having limited time to prepare for his replacement opponent.

"I do have the advantage as I was there (in Mexico) before and he took the fight on short notice," Werdum said via Sporting News. "I think I have the advantage because I got to be here for almost two months to get used to the altitude."

Werdum will be a heavy favorite heading into the fight, but the second-ranked heavyweight fighter knows that he has no room for complacency, saying that he is expecting a war against Hunt on Saturday night.

"I think it will be a real war because he's going to come and bring it like he does every time he comes into the cage," Werdum said. "I'm ready to put on a good show, get the belt and put on a war."

Santiago noted that Werdum must change his strategy in how the Brazilian fighter approaches the bout considering the difference in styles that Hunt brings to the table, more a knock-out artist, compared to Velazquez -- who was who wrestled for the Arizona State University Sun Devils, compiling a record of 86-17, placing 5th in the country in 2005, and 4th in 2006 during his NCAA wrestling career.

"Mark Hunt is a headhunter," said Santiago. "With Cain, Fabricio had to worry about the takedowns and wrestling. With Mark Hunt, [Werdum] needs to worry about his hands."

On the other hand, Hunt, who accepted the fight on three-week notice, also knows that he will have a tough time dealing with Werdum, but the 40-year-old heavyweight contender is determined to score an upset.

"The only belt I want to put around this waist is the UFC champion's belt, and that's the one that Cain's got," Hunt said via MMA Fighting. "So if I win on Saturday night, that won't be going around my waist. I'll be holding it (on my shoulder). The only belt I want around this waist is the championship belt, and Cain's got that belt."

Santiago feels that the Mexico City altitude may be a factor that Hunt must watch out for, especially considering he is taking the fight just two months removed from knocking out Roy Nelson in Japan.

"The altitude is 7, 606 feet above sea level. That may be a factor," said Santiago. A"s the fight goes on into the second or third round, it gets more difficult for Mark Hunt. For Fabricio, that's not a factor because he has been training in Mexico City."

For the UFC, this is a huge event for the company considering they are trying to become the global gold standard in MMA. UFC is looking to capitalize on Mexico's rich history in combat sports to expand their name brand in South America, after already gaining foothold in Brazil.

"It's madness down here," said Santiago. "Latin America is known for boxers. Julio César Chávez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales. But right now there is a younger generation with a hunger for MMA. They know the fighters, they know who are the champions in the UFC. This is one of the biggest events in the history of the sport here in Mexico."

The UFC 180 fight card will kick off at 7 p.m. EST. Fans can catch the preliminary fights on Fox Sports 1 (English) and Fox Deportes (Spanish). The entire card is also available via live stream though UFC TV Pay-Per-View. The complete UFC 180 fight card and schedule are available on this link.

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