Daniel Cormier Provides Update On Cain Velasquez’s UFC Return
Fight fans could see former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez compete in the Octagon in the near future. It’s been some time now since we last saw the former champion face elite fighters in the division.
Velasquez was unable to compete this year. If you recall, he was supposed to fight fellow former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum in December of last year. However, he had to pull out of the bout due to a lingering injury in his back, which ultimately required surgery.
Despite the bad luck, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the longtime UFC star and it may come sooner rather than expected.
Velasquez went on record in September that he was targeting a 2018 return to action. Now, he’s finally healthy enough to once again resume training at San Jose’s American Kickboxing Academy.
“He’s back to training, and it hurts, but it nothing’s felt better for a long time,” UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier said Monday on The MMA Hour.
“It does suck to have to go in there and work with Cain, because he’s so much better than everybody else that’s ever been around, but it’s good to have him, man. Just seeing him back doing what he loves to do, it’s amazing as a friend and as a fan of mixed martial arts, because if Cain gets back, you guys know what he does for the heavyweight division. He makes for some very, very interesting and fun fights.”
The last bout that Velasquez had was back in July 2016 when he scored a first-round knockout over Travis Browne that earned him ‘Performance of the Night’ honors at UFC 200.
Cormier admitted that he isn’t sure when Velasquez will be ready to fight again.
“It’s a process,” Cormier said. “When you start dealing with some of the injuries that Cain has had, and I’ve seen this since wrestling — backs and necks and all those types of injuries — man, it takes time to recover. And I think, for a long time, Cain may have pushed himself when he should’ve rested, and I believe this time he’s actually taken the time to try to let himself heal, and I feel like this will be a chance for him to make a long, sustained run, much longer than he really has over the course of his career.
“He’s had a lot of injuries at bad times. I talked to Cain about this, and it sucks — for a guy who was talented and committed to the sport, he’s probably lost five years. Can you imagine what Cain Velasquez’s resume would look like without five years worth of time on the shelf? It’s so sad to think about, but I believe that he has finally gotten himself in a position where his body is going to be able to match his work ethic, his mind, his ferociousness, his mentality, everything, and allow him to go on a run — a long, sustained run — to kinda finish out his career.”
