Lots happened at UFC 200: A title changed hands and an interim one was minted, a pro wrestler smashed a kickboxing world champion in a wonderful PRIDE-like piece of matchmaking, the best fighter of all-time made more fans in a loss than he ever did during his 16-straight wins some years back, and the ex-baddest man on the planet reminded everyone that he still might be the baddest man on the planet.
Meet the new Cain Velasquez, same as the old Cain Velasquez.
In the opening bout on pay-per-view, the 33-year-old American Kickboxing Academy product strode to the octagon intent on doing harm to whatever poor sap had been locked in there with him. Travis Browne was that sap, and the harm came to him swiftly and enthusiastically.
It was a foregone conclusion that Velasquez was walking out of UFC 200 a winner by the end of the first exchange; it was only destined to go on as long as Browne’s considerable willpower would hold him up. Velasquez, looking rejuvenated in a way he hadn’t since his 2012 title reclamation over Junior dos Santos, sent him to the canvas with the newly-minted offense of a wheel kick after keeping him reeling with takedowns and combinations.
As it turned out, Browne had precisely 4:57 of willpower on reserve, and his night ended when he was splayed face down on the canvas eating the nastiest ground-and-pound in the business from Velasquez.
It was a reminder to the MMA world just how good the former champion is when he’s on. Not long ago he was often called Cardio Cain for his freakish work rate and seeming inability to get tired, an unheard-of trait for a heavyweight. After an embarrassing loss at UFC 188, where he was left wheezing and broken in the high altitude of Mexico City, Cardio Cain was mockingly overtaken by Sea Level Cain, and Velasquez slipped from the limelight.
The peaks and valleys of high level athletics are often more pronounced in MMA, where athletes work without a net and are only as good as their last performance in the eyes of most. For Velasquez, those peaks have come in the form of two world title runs and a number of performances that were outright scary for their carnage and efficiency. The valleys have come through injuries, seemingly dozens of them, and poor performances at times when no one saw those performances coming.
He’s only lost twice in his career, to dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum, but the losses were so jarring that it feels like he’s dropped at least four or five bouts in his decade in the sport.
The contrast is maybe even more stark because his UFC wins have been totally non-competitive, with Velasquez simply buzzsawing whatever victim the promotion found to fight him. You’d have to think such cannon fodder either doesn’t own a television or have internet access to be silly enough to take a fight with him, for they couldn’t in their right mind think they’d have a hope if they knew who Velasquez was or had seen what he’d done to others.
And now, unequivocally it appears, that nightmare fuel for UFC heavies is back. Claiming that he’s figured out body maintenance and limitation of injuries, and that he wants a title shot next, Velasquez is very much an animal in search of a very specific type of cage.
All battered brow and Brown Pride, Cain Velasquez reminded everyone watching UFC 200 just what type of work he’s capable of. It’s relentless and brutal, and no one in the sport will withstand it if he comes correct with it on fight night.
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