Fabricio Werdum planned to make his August Strikeforce debut by challenging champion Alistair Overeem for his Strikeforce heavyweight belt. He did end up fighting at the Aug. 15 event, but against journeyman Mike Kyle, not Overeem.

The Dutch fighter cited a re-aggravated injury to his hand, originating in a bar brawl, as the reason for withdrawing from the fight.

Overeem has since been confirmed to fight Peter Aerts in a K-1 kickboxing bout on Sept. 26 in Seoul, Korea.

Werdum isn’t buying the injury.

“Overeem is running from the fight; I am pretty sure about that,” Werdum proclaimed to MMAWeekly.com.

“I cannot be 100-percent right about the reason he is taking so long to solve his issues and come to fight, but it seems either that the gummy berry juice he is taking to give him super powers is (causing) him to avoid fighting here in America or he is afraid of having no arms to fight after facing me one more time.”

The two met in Japan more than three years ago in the Pride 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix. Werdum submitted Overeem with a Kimura shoulder lock in just under four minutes of the second round.

“There is no sense he takes so long to come and fight in America,” said Werdum.

Overeem became the first ever Strikeforce heavyweight champion in November 2007 by causing Paul Buentello to submit to repeated knee strikes to the body. He has not fought in the U.S. since, instead taking fights in Japan and the Netherlands.

“I want to say to him that if comes, face me and lose,” Werdum stated. “I will let him take some pictures with my belt and he will be able to keep good memories from his time as a Strikeforce champion.”

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