It was recently announced that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier will get the opportunity to make history when he faces Heavyweight king Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 on July 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
As for how that plays out withing American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) considering Cain Velasquez is close to mounting a return to reclaim his 265-pound strap, there isn’t an internal beef. That’s because Velasquez gave his teammate his blessing to make history.
“We talked about it and I am all for it. I support Daniel one hundred percent. I still have to go out there and prove myself. I have to get a fight and show people why everyone should fear me,” explained Cain on a recent edition of The MMA Hour. “I have to go out there and look impressive.”
Cain has been on the sidelines for over a year and a half, and was last seen beating the brakes off Travis Browne at UFC 200 in July of 2016. But now that he’s healed from nagging back problems, the former heavyweight champion of the world says he is ready to return to action, may be in July of this year.
“I do plan on fighting again, I never had talks of retirement, not yet. I still have plenty to do. So he told me he had the opportunity and I was just like, ‘Yes, he can do it, get ready together. That’s the best for us.’ He’s fighting on that card in July, and I am hoping to get on that. I think that will be perfect and enough time for me to get on that card. We can get ready together, and when we do that, that is when we are the best. I think it’s a really good scenario. It’s perfect for Daniel and he can pull it off. I am going to make it my priority to go out there and train with him so he can get the “W,” and he will get it.”
After news broke of “DC”s” upcoming title fight, Velasquez issued a tweet suggesting “things could get interesting” should Cormier win the 265-pound title. When asked to clarify, Cain kept us all in the dark, but did somewhat tease a drop down to 205 pounds.
“We’re just going to keep in interesting man. He’s at heavyweight, I’m at heavyweight. Am I going to drop down?” he laughed. “Things could get interesting, yes, as we don’t know how things are going to play out. I think it’s cool what he’s doing in going up. He’s fought there before so he can do it again,” he added.
As far as a drop down to 205 pounds, Cain said if he really put his mind to it, he could do it.
“If I had to do it, 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. Were just going by that, play it by ear. First things first, we’re getting ready and getting ready for both of us.”
As for his back issues, Cain says everything is great at the moment, as he took extra time off to make sure he didn’t rush things his return after surgery. And while Cain doesn’t have an opponent in mind, he reiterated that fighting “DC” will never be an option.
As far as a rematch against Fabricio Werdum — who all of a sudden finds himself with an empty dance card — Velasquez is all for it.