Cain Velasquez, who defeated Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 in 2010 despite being initially awed by Lesnar’s size and wrestling prowess, later retired due to injuries, briefly pursued pro wrestling, and is currently awaiting sentencing related to a legal incident.
Cain Velasquez knew he was in for a fight the moment he laid eyes on Brock Lesnar. The two heavyweight titans faced off at UFC 121 in October 2010. Though Velasquez claimed victory with a dominant first-round knockout, his initial impression of Lesnar was sheer awe.
“Obviously, his size,” Velasquez remarked in an interview with Tim Kennedy. “His size, his power, and knowing how good of a wrestler he is.” He paused, reflecting on the danger Lesnar posed. But it was Lesnar’s massive size that truly struck him: “Wow, it’s a big human.”
Lesnar’s impressive physicality and wrestling prowess quickly earned him the UFC heavyweight title by his fourth professional MMA bout. Yet, despite his strength, Lesnar couldn’t overpower Velasquez. Eventually, a flurry of punches from Velasquez saw Lesnar relinquish his belt.
Velasquez, a two-time NCAA All-American in wrestling, proved more than a match for Lesnar. He credits his preparation team—featuring future UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier—for readying him for any scenario.
“I probably weighed in at, like, 240-something going in,” Velasquez said. His strength lay in escaping from the bottom—a skill honed during college wrestling. He knew if trapped there, it could be a long night. But training with DC and others ensured he was ready.
“We started in the worst positions,” Velasquez recalled. Coach Bob Cook would have him lay on his back with DC on top during sparring. This rigorous prep meant he excelled at getting up from the bottom during camp.
Ultimately, Velasquez focused on keeping the fight standing with strikes. “Just the pressure of everything,” he mused. Regardless of winning or losing, his mentality was simple: give everything he had.
During his time as champion, Velasquez defended his title twice but faced numerous injuries that cut his career short. Retiring from MMA in 2019, he ventured into pro wrestling with companies like WWE.
Currently, Velasquez awaits sentencing after pleading no-contest to charges related to an incident involving Harry Goularte—accused of molesting Velasquez’s son.
When asked about potential matchups against current heavyweights like Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, Velasquez remained tight-lipped about predictions but acknowledged they’d be thrilling contests.
“I think they’d be close fights or exciting fights,” he concluded with a hint of intrigue.