Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has signed with the World Combat League.
The brand new team-based fight league was unveiled late final 12 months. Based by Darren Owen, the World Combat League could have a number of groups based mostly across the globe. Expertise connected to the group consists of names reminiscent of Tyron Woodley, Luke Rockhold, Wanderlei Silva, and Anthony Pettis.
Earlier immediately, the GFL issued a press release detailing a number of new signings. There, they introduced a handful of ex-UFC stars had joined the model, together with Paige VanZant and Cynthia Calvillo. Former Bellator girls’s featherweight champion Julia Budd signed with the corporate, as did former Invicta titleholder Tonya Evinger.
Nonetheless, the press launch additionally introduced the signing of ex-UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez as a head coach. The 42-year-old hasn’t competed since a first-round knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in early 2019. Afterward, the wrestler introduced plans to retire from MMA and pursue a profession in skilled wrestling.
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Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez indicators with World Combat League
Cain Velasquez will assist draft, and coach one of many GFL’s new groups. Based on the press launch, the previous UFC champion has already enlisted the assistance of American Kickboxing Academy’s Javier Mendez. For what it’s value, Velasquez is already an up-and-coming coach in his personal proper. Mendez revealed in 2023 that the previous UFC champion is working with younger expertise at AKA.
“Cain Velasquez shall be in some fighters’ corners that he’s with,” Javier Mendez stated within the video. “He’s a pleasure to have, he’s an unbelievable coach. I’m blessed to have him there at AKA every day with the fellows. He’s an enormous motivator, he’s changing into nice at talking, speeches. He’s changing into nice at speaking to the fighters, and the ins and the outs. Find out how to suppose, learn how to be a champion, he’s improbable. I couldn’t ask for a greater coach and good friend than Cain.”
Since then, the 42-year-old has been seen in a number of corners at UFC and Bellator occasions. Nonetheless, he’ll have much more work to do when the World Combat League season begins in April.
What do you make of this World Combat League information? Are you excited to see the return of Cain Velasquez in a training function?