After Ben Rothwell was announced out of UFC 203’s co-headliner against former champion Fabricio Werdum, it didn’t take long for the promotion to secure Travis Browne as a replacement.

Though this isn’t their first encounter, circumstances have changed. Since beating Browne via unanimous decision at UFC on FOX 11 in April 2014, Werdum (20-6-1 MMA, 8-3 UFC) went from interim, to undisputed, to former champ. Meanwhile, Browne (18-4-1 MMA, 9-4-1 UFC) alternated wins and losses until his recent setback to also ex-titleholder Cain Velasquez.

Fresh off his title loss to Stipe Miocic, Werdum didn’t care if Browne was the fairest option. He just wanted a fight and he got one.

“The important thing is that I’m fighting,” Werdum told MMAjunkie.“I never had that option of picking an opponent. The UFC said it was Travis Browne, I said yes, signed the contract and sent it already. Whether it was Ben Rothwell or Derrick Lewis – it could have been anyone. I just wanted to fight at the same event as Miocic and Overeem.

“I didn’t have an option. I saw Derrick Lewis say he’d fight me on twitter, but the UFC never brought him up. I told my manager, ‘I’ll fight anyone, I don’t care who it is.’ Browne was the chosen one and I was fine with it. I didn’t get to choose my opponent, which I’ve never done in the past either.”

In fact, when it comes to “fair opponents,” Werdum believes that there’s only one guy who could really fit the bill. The rest of the Top 10, in his eyes, would be equally suited.

“The fair thing would actually be the rematch (against Miocic), because I’m the first in the UFC rankings and Miocic is the only one above me,” Werdum said. “So you can’t really say anyone else is ‘fair.’ The important thing is fighting a top-10. So there’s not much to say. I think Browne has a strong name, he’s well-known, I fought him once and I think I have a slight advantage because I won. I won’t rely on that thought too much, though, because I know there are no easy fights in the UFC.”

Werdum is currently ranked No. 2 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA heavyweight rankings, while Browne is No. 9. Their co-headliner will lead the way to the championship bout between Miocic and Overeem, Sept. 10, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

Werdum’s first encounter with Browne was a fairly dominant one. Though Browne did have a few moments of offense, Werdum put on his most impressive performance until then, securing a title shot that became a scrap for the interim belt before coming to fruition.

The ex-champ doesn’t expect things to be that different in the rematch. However, he wouldn’t mind a finish this time around.

“I expect a similar fight,” Werdum said. “But I’ll try to submit him or knock him out. I think that’s what every fighter wants, everyone wants to finish the fight as soon as possible. I don’t think people want to win on points – it’s very difficult to see anyone saying, ‘I’ll win via decision.’

“First minute, second round, as soon as I can. But we’ll try to put on a fight like we did last time, a bout that many people say was the best of my career.”

A finish, Werdum believes, might also come in handy when the time comes for the promotion to pick the next title challenger. And, eager to reassume the heavyweight throne, he knows that a convincing win might just be the thing to tip the scale in his favor.

“Since I’m the first in the UFC rankings, I think a win will give me the opportunity to fight for the belt,” Werdum said. “I think it will be important how this fight goes down. It’s important that I finish as soon as possible, put on a spectacular fight like the last one.

“That should give me this chance to fight for the belt. I know Velasquez is also waiting for the opportunity. Everyone wants that, but I think I’ll show once again that I am the No. 1 in the ranking and have this opportunity again. It will depend on how it goes.”

Coming back right after losing the belt can be a mentally taxing experience as it is – with the Brazilian heavyweight facing the added pressure of returning from a main-event first-round knockout in his home country.

But, done with that particular chapter of his life, a confident Werdum feels prepared to start a new – albeit familiar – one.

“I lost the belt, but that’s done,” Werdum said. “I can’t keep thinking about it, thinking about how the belt was. I made it once and I am sure I will make it again. That’s a certainty. I know the way now. I just need to get it right again.”

For more on UFC 203, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.