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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez, looked as though he would rule the 265-pound roost for most of his promising mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
Then came a submission loss to Fabricio Werdum at UFC 180 back in June 2015 and the 14-3 Velasquez, riddled with injuries, has competed just twice in the past four years. Perhaps it’s time to say goodbye to cage fighting and hello to pro wrestling.
“For me, I know what I can do and I feel like learning wrestling for the short time that I’ve learned it, it feels very natural to me,” Velasquez told MMA Junkie. “I loved it. I love going out there and competing and I can’t wait to do more of it. I love the acting side of it, the entertainment. I get to do stuff that’s physical then it also looks cool.”
Velasquez, 37, made his pro wrestling debut for Triplemania earlier this month in Mexico City, getting mobbed by fans for what could be the start of a longterm program. Where that leaves his fighting future remains to be seen, but the clock is definitely ticking.
“I do plan on coming back to fight as well, but at this moment I’m just having too much fun doing this pro wrestling,” he said. “I’m able to work well with whoever is out there and it doesn’t put me in danger. Fighting will definitely put my body in danger, put my knees at risk and everything else. It’s just full force with punching, kicking, takedowns and everything else.”
Velasquez isn’t the first UFC champion to migrate toward professional wrestling, as we saw with former women’s bantamweight titleholder, Ronda Rousey, and he probably won’t be the last. Maybe he can set up this overdue rematch somewhere down the line?