Some say when you beat the best of all time, you are the best of all time.

But others think longevity plays a part. Stipe Miocic is one of them.

The UFC heavyweight, who’s among the top contenders to the title, thinks newly minted champ Fabricio Werdum can’t yet make the claim he’s the best big man in the sport’s history because his reign is still in its infancy.

“Who knows? You’ve got to keep that title for a while,” Miocic told MMAjunkie.

That doesn’t mean Miocic isn’t impressed by what he’s seen from the Brazilian, who added Cain Velasquez to an impressive resume that includes wins over Fedor Emelianenko (34-4) and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (13-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC).

At this month’s UFC 188, Werdum (20-5-1 MMA, 8-2 UFC) delivered a come-from-behind win by tiring out Velasquez (13-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC) at altitude before locking in a third-round submission.

Miocic (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), who in May bludgeoned Mark Hunt (10-10-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 65, couldn’t help but give the new champ credit.

“Amazing,” he said. “That’s why he was the champ. He did what he had to do, and he got the belt.”

But only when Werdum holds onto the strap will Miocic give him the credit of greatest of all time.

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