LONDON – Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum is set to take on a dangerous contender in the UFC Fight Night 127 main event Saturday night, but the Brazilian has no intention of manufacturing any bad blood ahead of the contest.

Werdum (23-7-1 MMA, 11-4 UFC) takes on former Bellator heavyweight champion Alexander Volkov (29-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the headliner at The O2 in London, where he says his focus is on repaying the fans who gave him such a positive reaction upon the news of his addition to the card.

“I liked when I saw on social media that guys were happy,” Werdum said. “I lived in Europe for 10 years. I taught a lot of seminars in different countries, and I was very happy and excited when I saw guys (had) sent me a message (saying) ‘Werdum, we are very happy for you because you’re fighting here in the main event.’”

Werdum has closer ties to the U.K. than many would first think. He made his professional MMA debut in England at a promotion called Millennium Brawl in Berkshire in 2002, and later in his career kicked off his first stint in the UFC with three consecutive bouts in the U.K. against Andrei Arlovski, Gabriel Gonzaga and Brandon Vera.

Now Werdum is back in England to face Volkov, an opponent the former champion says he has the utmost respect for, having trained with him earlier in his career.

“I know he’s a very nice guy,” he said. “I’ve had good training with him. I’ve helped him, and he’s helped me, but I never comment about the training. You never say bad things about your friends, and this is the same thing.

“I know it’s a tough fight, but it’s a very important fight for me, for the next step. My focus is on Volkov, but my big goal is (to get) the belt again.”

And despite being in a sport in which rivalries often create additional fan interest, Werdum says he won’t be going down the trash talking route, given the respect between the two fighters and their respective camps – and the fact The O2 already is sold out.

“It’s a good vibe, man. There’s no problem (between us),” he said. “I don’t want to promote the fight and say bad things and trash talk about him.

“Everybody wants to see the fight – the arena is sold out, I know. Why say bad things about this guy? The guys want to see the fight, so inside the octagon is where everything will happen.”

The bout itself is a pivotal one for both men. A win for Volkov would propel the Russian into title contention, while for Werdum victory is crucial as he looks to continue on his road back to the title.

“I have a good strategy,” he said. “Rafael (Cordeiro) and (Renato) ‘Babalu’ (Sobral), my team, my brothers, have made a good strategy for this fight,” Werdum said. “I’m feeling a good submission, maybe. I want to submit him, but I can fight standup, too. I’m excited to fight, but never scared. I want (to put on) a good fight (and) a good show for the fans.”

But despite saying he can see a possible submission victory, the Brazilian says he’s not going to go chasing a finish and lose focus on ensuring he achieves the most important goal – getting the win.

“The victory is very important,” he said. “Knockout, submission or decision, the most important is the victory, because you’re one step in front. If you lose, it’s like you’re three steps down.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 127, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.