Cain Velasquez is widely considered the No. 2 heavyweight fighter, and although a victory over Antonio Silva will put him back into title contention, it won’t necessarily guarantee him a title shot.
Velasquez has fought credible competition and has cemented his status as one of the best heavyweights in the sport, but he also needs to rebuild and evolve as a fighter. One win will not convince a lot of people he is worthy of stepping in to face Junior dos Santos again, especially when the Brazilian finished him in devastating fashion.
If he is able to dominate and defeat Silva convincingly, then it might increase his chances, but one more victory against another formidable opponent should earn Velasquez a title opportunity.
With Alistair Overeem serving a suspension for the rest of this year and his teammate Daniel Cormier still competing in Strikeforce, there a few options available.
But a bout that makes sense is pairing Velasquez up with Fabricio Werdum.
The Brazilian is expected to face Mike Russow at UFC 147 in July and if he is able to pick up a second straight win, he will be in the same position as the former UFC heavyweight champion.
If they were to face-off it would determine the next challenger for the UFC heavyweight title.
The UFC heavyweight division has become one of the more competitive weight classes in recent memory and it would be a waste if the division became stagnant because of rematches occurring.
Velasquez will get his chance to try and regain the UFC heavyweight crown in the near future, but it won’t happen in his next fight.
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