Is Cain Velasquez’s MMA career about to take a new and fascinating twist? The career heavyweight, and former UFC champion has been battling a myriad of injuries over the past four years, largely due to problems with his back and knees. But, it’s starting to look like the two-time ‘baddest man on the planet’ is getting ready for a comeback.
But will it be at light heavyweight?
That’s what teammate Daniel Cormier was teasing recently on the MMA Hour, when he spoke to Ariel Helwani about a cryptic Velasquez tweet. “But what if he said, ‘Things may get interesting’ meaning he might go to 205? Oooh, that would be interesting, wouldn’t it?” Cormier hinted.
Later that day, Velasquez spoke to Helwani as well, and while it doesn’t sound like a move to 205 is actually in the works, it certainly seemed to be something he’d considered (transcript via MMA Fighting).
“If I had to do it, I could do it,” Velasquez said of a potential weight cut to light heavyweight. “I think it would be hard, but it’s just the will of the person. If I really want to do something, I could do it. Again, things could get interesting, so we’re just going off of that and we’re just going to play it by ear. First things first, helping him get ready, me get ready, and then getting that job done in July, both of us.”
As for Cormier moving up to challenge for the belt that used to be Cain’s? While the two men are still adamant that they’d never fight each other in the Octagon, it doesn’t sound like Velasquez is at all put out by the idea of his teammate taking the title in his division.
“We talked about it and I’m all for it, I support Daniel 100 percent,” Velasquez said. “I feel like I just have to go back and prove myself. I have to get a fight and show people why everyone should fear me, so I have to go out there, I have to look impressive. I do plan on fighting again, I’ve never had talks of a retirement. Not yet. I still want to do this.
“He called me up, he told me that he had this opportunity. I was just like, ‘Yes, we can do it.’ We can get ready together, that’s the best for us. He’s fighting on that card in July, I’m going to try to get on that, hopefully. I think that would be perfect and enough time for me to get on that card and me and Daniel can train together and get ready together because when we do that, that’s when we are the best.”
Velasquez last fought at UFC 200 in July of 2016, TKOing Travis Browne in the closing seconds of the first round. The bout was only his second since 2013, when he beat Junior Dos Santos at UFC 166. Hopefully for fans, he can stay healthy ahead of his planned return this summer.
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