Fabricio Werdum defeats Cain Velasquez to becomeheavyweight champion

Brazil's Fabricio Werdum lands a punch to United States' Cain Velasquez during a heavyweightmixed martial arts title bout at UFC 188 in Mexico City, Saturday, June 13, 2015. Werdum won thefight by submission. (Christian Palma, The Associated Press)

MEXICO CITY -- Fabricio Werdum of Brazil defeated a rusty Cain Velasquez by tap-out in the thirdround to become the undisputed heavyweight champion at UFC 188 on Saturday night.

With 2:13 left in the third round, Werdum (20-5-1) took down Velasquez, who was coming of a 20-month layoff after suffering injuries in his shoulder and knee. It was Werdum's sixth straight win.

The Brazilian jiujitsu specialist was able to cut local favorite Velasquez (13-2) in the left eye sincethe first round and the former heavyweight champion struggled through the rest of the fight toovercome it.

Prior to the main event, Mexican-American middleweight Kelvin Gastelum (12-1) got a TKO in thesecond round to defeat Nate Marquardt (36-15-2), a 36 year-old former strikeout champion.

Gastelum, who missed the welterweight limit in two of his last three fights, was coming off the firstloss of his career on January against Tyron Woodley. After Saturday's win, he wants a chance to goback to his former division.

In the lightweight division, Eddie Alvarez defeated Gilbert Melendez by split decision despitefighting with his left eye closed after taking an elbow to the face in the first round.

Also, Tecia Torres remained undefeated (6-0) with a unanimous decision over Angela Hill (2-1) instrawweight. In another fight, up-and-coming Mexican Yair Garcia (6-1) got a split decision victoryover Charles Rosa (10-2) in a featherweight combat.

On the undercard, flyweight Henry Cejudo, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling forthe U.S., improved to 9-0 with a unanimous decision over Chico Camus (15-6).

"I was very sick the last three days, I suffered from food poisoning and I wanted to cancel but I didmy best", Cejudo said. "I won the gold in Beijing, now I want to become a champion at the UFC."

Also, Ireland's Cathan Pendred (17-3-1) won a unanimous decision over Mexico City's AugustoMontano (15-2), Patrick Williams (8-4) defeated local fighter Alejandro Perez (16-6) by submission inthe first round, and Efrain Escudero (25-9) took care of Drew Dober (15-3) by tap-out in the firstround.

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