Rothwell ‘pissed off’ at Velasquez’s layoff as champion: ‘I think he learned how to milk it’

Ben Rothwell is not pleased at Cain Velasquez’s almost two-year layoff as champion in 2013.

During his second UFC heavyweight title run that began in 2012, Cain Velasquez was forced to the sidelines due to injury in October 2013. After defending his title for the second time against Junior dos Santos at UFC 166, Velasquez did not return to action until June 2015.

Velasquez ended up dropping the belt to Fabricio Werdum upon his return, and has not been able to get back to title contention since. Last December Velasquez was once again sidelined after being deemed “unfit to fight” by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. In his absence, a former opponent of his is adamant about settling the score.

During a recent appearance on BJ Penn Radio, veteran heavyweight Ben Rothwell, expressed his strong feelings towards Velasquez, particularly during that year and a half when the UFC heavyweight belt remained in the shelves with him.

“I’ve had ten losses and I’ve never been able to get one of those back. Cain and Junior [Dos Santos] are two guys ranked in front that I’ve lost to and the two guys I could make that up with, it’s one of them,” Rothwell said (via BJPenn.com). “If I only could fight one of them I think it would have to be Cain because that one really pisses me off.”

“It pissed me off what he did with the title, where he sat on it for a couple years and really messed up the heavyweight division. I think he learned how to milk it. For him and his family and his finances, it was great for him, but it screwed everything up for the rest of us.”

Rothwell feels he has unfinished business with Velasquez and hopes that the former champion would be able to come back strong. But at the same time, he holds some doubts of his own.

“It’s really tough to say [what the future holds for Velasquez] but based on what we hear circulating, it doesn’t sound good. I don’t want him to leave because that’s a guy I’ve always thought I’d cross paths with again. He’s a big name and I’ve never got to fight any of the guys that I’ve lost to,” Rothwell said.

“I heard he has to have back-to-back surgeries in under a year, it just sounds rough. I wish the guy the best and I hope he can come back. He’s obviously a warrior but I hear that it’s really bad and I don’t know what he’s got left. Only he knows that I guess.”

Ben Rothwell is not pleased at Cain Velasquez’s almost two-year layoff as champion in 2013.

During his second UFC heavyweight title run that began in 2012, Cain Velasquez was forced to the sidelines due to injury in October 2013. After defending his title for the second time against Junior dos Santos at UFC 166, Velasquez did not return to action until June 2015.

Velasquez ended up dropping the belt to Fabricio Werdum upon his return, and has not been able to get back to title contention since. Last December Velasquez was once again sidelined after being deemed “unfit to fight” by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. In his absence, a former opponent of his is adamant about settling the score.

During a recent appearance on BJ Penn Radio, veteran heavyweight Ben Rothwell, expressed his strong feelings towards Velasquez, particularly during that year and a half when the UFC heavyweight belt remained in the shelves with him.

“I’ve had ten losses and I’ve never been able to get one of those back. Cain and Junior [Dos Santos] are two guys ranked in front that I’ve lost to and the two guys I could make that up with, it’s one of them,” Rothwell said (via BJPenn.com). “If I only could fight one of them I think it would have to be Cain because that one really pisses me off.”

“It pissed me off what he did with the title, where he sat on it for a couple years and really messed up the heavyweight division. I think he learned how to milk it. For him and his family and his finances, it was great for him, but it screwed everything up for the rest of us.”

Rothwell feels he has unfinished business with Velasquez and hopes that the former champion would be able to come back strong. But at the same time, he holds some doubts of his own.

“It’s really tough to say [what the future holds for Velasquez] but based on what we hear circulating, it doesn’t sound good. I don’t want him to leave because that’s a guy I’ve always thought I’d cross paths with again. He’s a big name and I’ve never got to fight any of the guys that I’ve lost to,” Rothwell said.

“I heard he has to have back-to-back surgeries in under a year, it just sounds rough. I wish the guy the best and I hope he can come back. He’s obviously a warrior but I hear that it’s really bad and I don’t know what he’s got left. Only he knows that I guess.”