UFC heavyweight legend Cain Velasquez fulfilled a years-long dream towards probably the most intimidating males on the planet at UFC 121.
Cain Velasquez is usually passed over within the heavyweight GOAT dialog. Amidst the emergence of prime names like Jon Jones, Stipe Miocic, and Tom Aspinall, Velasquez’s identify doesn’t get tossed round arguably as a lot because it ought to when discussing the all-time nice heavyweights.
Velasquez was a bodily specimen throughout his MMA prime. He had all the things you can need in a heavyweight fighter; elite wrestling, one-punch knockout energy, and a relentless tempo that few adversaries may sustain with.
The then 8-0 Velasquez earned a heavyweight title shot after collapsing the legendary Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira in a first-round TKO end at UFC 110. Subsequent was a showdown with probably the most feared males in MMA historical past, Brock Lesnar, for the UFC heavyweight championship.
Cain Velasquez capped off dominant run by way of heavyweight division by ending Brock Lesnar
Lesnar and Velasquez wasted no time getting after it within the UFC 121 essential occasion. Velasquez overcame an early left hand and takedown from Lesnar to flip the script simply minutes into the struggle.
Lesnar appeared visibly gassed after failing to regulate Velasquez on the bottom after two profitable takedowns. Velasquez discovered his timing along with his placing, making Lesnar miss badly and pressuring him towards the fence.
Velasquez shocked the group by taking down Lesnar and opening up a nasty gash on the heavyweight champion’s face from a proper hand. A stumbling Lesnar ran backward throughout the Octagon, main Velasquez to harm Lesnar badly with a knee to the physique that knocked down the titleholder.
Velasquez sealed the take care of brutal ground-and-pound strikes to turn into the UFC’s first Mexican fighter to win a world championship. His victory paved the best way for Brandon Moreno, Yair Rodriguez, and different fashionable Mexican stars to rise in blended martial arts.
Cain Velasquez sized up Jon Jones, Tom Aspinall for hypothetical UFC matchups
Velasquez suffered a knockout loss in his subsequent struggle towards Junior dos Santos earlier than bouncing again against Antonio Silva with a wild finish. After an injury-riddled tail-end of his UFC profession, Velasquez rematched Lesnar in a shocking WWE appearance years later.
Velasquez was recently asked how he’d match up with Aspinall and Jones throughout his MMA prime. Whereas he acknowledged Aspinall’s promise, Velasquez claimed that Aspinall has a visible pattern that he’d exploit within the Octagon.
Velasquez was a prime candidate for induction into the UFC Corridor of Fame earlier than latest authorized points. He retired from MMA with a 14-3 skilled file within the cage.
