Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has opened up on his wrestling match with Brock Lesnar.
In October 2010, the two met at UFC 121 with the heavyweight title on the line. For his part, Lesnar was attempting to establish a new record for title defenses, with three. Meanwhile, Velasquez was coming off a knockout win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira earlier that year.
During their pay-per-view main event, the American Kickboxing Academy product dominated. Velasquez wound up ending Lesnar’s title run with a first-round TKO victory, giving him his first championship in the UFC.
Over the next few years, the two men’s careers went in separate ways. Velasquez continued to wrack up wins, but also injuries, until retiring from MMA in 2019. Lesnar, meanwhile, returned to the world of professional wrestling with the WWE.
Following his retirement, Cain Velasquez signed a deal with the WWE. His first feud in the company was with, you guessed it, Brock Lesnar. They wound up feuding until their October 2019 pay-per-view, Crown Jewel. There, Lesnar picked up the win.
The pair put on a bizarre, MMA-style match that was panned by fans and media. Over three years after the event, Velasquez gave his thoughts on the match, as well as working with Lesnar, on the Keepin’ It 100 podcast.
“Yeah, professional and I would say it was a little uncomfortable [planning out the match with Brock Lesnar],” Velasquez said. “I’m just so new to the wrestling world but everyone that I’ve worked with has been amazing as far as, you take care of everybody. We really do try to put in some good things in there where everyone gets what they want out of it and making it just for the fans.” (h/t MMA News)
“Working with Brock was interesting man, that’s all I’m gonna say,” Velasquez continued. “It was very different. You kind of just learn from your life and okay, this is what this was. I know for next time if something else ever happens for next time but… With Brock, that’s kind of what it was and again, the best thing about what I do now with wrestling is I can bring my family in and they’re true fans of it, you know? And that is the best.”
While Cain Velasquez’s run in WWE ended just a few short months after his match with Brock Lesnar, he continues to work in the world of professional wrestling. Earlier this month, the former champion made his return to the Lucha-style AAA promotion.
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