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Cain Velasquez Signs As Global Fight League Team Manager Weeks Before Sentencing For Attempted Murder Charge

Cain Velasquez is now set to channel his fighting spirit into a managerial role with one of the newest MMA organizations on the scene. On Friday, the Global Fight League (GFL) revealed in an official statement that former UFC heavyweight champion Velasquez has signed on with the promotion as a team manager. Accompanying him in […]

Cain Velasquez is now set to channel his fighting spirit into a managerial role with one of the newest MMA organizations on the scene.

On Friday, the Global Fight League (GFL) revealed in an official statement that former UFC heavyweight champion Velasquez has signed on with the promotion as a team manager. Accompanying him in this venture is his trusted associate, the esteemed American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez, who will take on the role of head coach for Velasquez’s team.

This announcement comes at a pivotal moment, as Velasquez is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 24 for sentencing related to attempted murder charges. In August 2024, he entered a no-contest plea in a California court to charges including felony attempted murder, assault, and multiple weapons-related offenses arising from a February 2022 altercation.

The 42-year-old Californian is facing allegations of firing several shots at Harry Goularte, who was allegedly involved in molesting Velasquez’s then-four-year-old son. In the chaos of the high-speed pursuit, Velasquez struck Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender, instead.

Velasquez was arrested without resistance by local authorities and, due to the severity of the charges, spent eight months in incarceration. He was eventually granted bail in November 2022, set at a $1 million bond.

GFL is set to make its debut in April, though the exact date remains under wraps. Unlike traditional formats, GFL introduces a league-based structure with playoffs, offering a fresh approach by incorporating a team-oriented format, unlike the PFL’s individual-centric model.

The promotion has already signed an impressive roster of over 300 fighters, many of whom are well-known names from major organizations like the UFC, Bellator, and PFL. Notable fighters such as Paige VanZant, Tyron Woodley, Luke Rockhold, and other prominent figures will headline the action.

Read More: What’s Next After UFC 310? Full Confirmed UFC 311 Main Card For Los Angeles On Jan. 18

Cain Velasquez Signs As Global Fight League Team Manager Weeks Before Sentencing For Attempted Murder Charge

Cain Velasquez is now set to channel his fighting spirit into a managerial role with one of the newest MMA organizations on the scene.

Read More: What’s Next After UFC 310? Full Confirmed UFC 311 Main Card For Los Angeles On Jan. 18

Khabib Nurmagomedov Is Going to Be a Ball Of Nerves Come UFC 311: ‘He’s going to Be a Wreck’ Says Coach

UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov is going to have his work cut out for him on January 18. While ‘The…

UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov is going to have his work cut out for him on January 18.

While ‘The Eagle’ no longer competes inside the Octagon, fight fans can regularly find him cornering the likes of reigning lightweight world champion Islam Makhachev and his cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, both of whom will be competing on the same night when the UFC returns to pay-per-view in 2025.

Emanating from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the main event of the evening will see Makhachev put his 155-pound crown on the line against the division’s top-ranked contender, Arman Tsarukyan.

Just before Makhachev enters the cage for his fourth lightweight title defense, Umar Nurmagomedov will challenge bantamweight titleholder Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event. It will be the Georgian’s first time defending the 135-pound belt since claiming it via a dominant decision win over ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley in September.

During a recent interview with The Schmo, longtime Khabib Nurmagomedov coach and American Kickboxing Academy founder Javier Mendez expects it to be a mentally draining weekend for ‘The Eagle’ as he looks to lead both his fighters to the biggest wins of their respective careers.

“It’s going to be really busy for him mentally because he has to deal with, you know, two of his brothers that he loves to death—one is his cousin, and one is Islam, who he’s been training with since childhood,” Mendez said. “So for him, it’s going to be a ball of nerves.

“For me, it’s not that bad at all because I’m used to it now. I can go right through it—no problem. He’s going to be a wreck, though.”

Mendez says everything is ‘on point’ ahead of makhachev and nurmagomedov’s big night

Offering some insight into Makhachev and Nurmagomedov’s training ahead of UFC 311, Mendez added:

“But things are great, things are fantastic. The training is fantastic. We’re on point, we’re on point. We have three more weeks of hard training, and then we’re off to Los Angeles. We’ll see what happens.”

While Makhachev is already acquainted with the bright lights of a five-round title fight, it will be an unfamiliar feeling for Umar Nurmagomedov. The undefeated star secured his first shot at UFC gold with an impressive showing against Cory Sandhagen over the summer. The win jumped him all the way up to the No. 2 spot in the rankings, setting the stage for his showdown with ‘The Machine.’

Combined, Makhachev and Nurmagomedov have won their last 32 fights.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov Is Going to Be a Ball Of Nerves Come UFC 311: ‘He’s going to Be a Wreck’ Says Coach

UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov is going to have his work cut out for him on January 18. While ‘The…

UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov is going to have his work cut out for him on January 18.

Emanating from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the main event of the evening will see Makhachev put his 155-pound crown on the line against the division’s top-ranked contender, Arman Tsarukyan.

“It’s going to be really busy for him mentally because he has to deal with, you know, two of his brothers that he loves to death—one is his cousin, and one is Islam, who he’s been training with since childhood,” Mendez said. “So for him, it’s going to be a ball of nerves.

“For me, it’s not that bad at all because I’m used to it now. I can go right through it—no problem. He’s going to be a wreck, though.”

Mendez says everything is ‘on point’ ahead of makhachev and nurmagomedov’s big night

Offering some insight into Makhachev and Nurmagomedov’s training ahead of UFC 311, Mendez added:

“But things are great, things are fantastic. The training is fantastic. We’re on point, we’re on point. We have three more weeks of hard training, and then we’re off to Los Angeles. We’ll see what happens.”

Combined, Makhachev and Nurmagomedov have won their last 32 fights.

Could Islam Makhachev Become The First Three-Weight Champion? ‘Definitely’ MMA Coach Explains

Is Islam Makhachev destined to become the first-ever three-weight UFC champion? Thus far, there have only been nine fighters…

Is Islam Makhachev destined to become the first-ever three-weight UFC champion?

Thus far, there have only been nine fighters in the promotion’s 30+ year history who have captured gold in two different divisions: Randy Couture, BJ Penn, Georges St-Pierre, Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, Amanda Nunes, Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, and Alex Pereira.

And while only four of them held their two belts simultaneously, none of them ever went on to capture a third world title.

But if there’s one man who can do it, it’s reigning lightweight king Islam Makhachev. At least, that’s what legendary MMA coach Javier Mendez thinks.

“Yeah, I would say he has that potential,” Mendez told The Schmo. “He definitely does—100%. He has the ability, the mindset, and the work ethic. He can definitely do that if that’s his desire and the UFC allows him to go there. So yes, I can see that happening.”

Mendez is quite familiar with Makhachev’s skills inside the cage having worked with him and his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, for many years at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California.

Mendez believes Islam makhachev would have no issues moving up to middleweight

If Makhachev truly wants to etch his name in the history books as the UFC’s first-ever three-division champion, his next task will likely be to take the welterweight title, though some believe Makhachev would have no issue skipping the next weight class up and going straight to middleweight.

“I 100 percent feel Islam can do that if that’s what he wanted to do,” Mendez said when asked about Makhachev’s potential move to 185. “But, it’s what he wants to do that will happen. Not his ability. His ability, I mean, come on. I see it in the gym, guys. I see it, so I know how good this guy is. So, yeah, 185 is not gonna be an issue for him. It’s a matter of whether he wants to.

“When he comes in training camp he’s always walking around 179, 180,” Mendez said. “So, obviously, if he ever went to middleweight he’d have to put on some muscle. But, not saying he can’t and not saying he won’t or he doesn’t want it. I don’t know, we’ve never discussed it” (h/t BJPenn.com).

Before the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ can concern himself with challenging for another title, he’ll have to get past the division’s top-ranked contender, Arman Tsarukyan. Akhalkalakets’ earned the right to be next in line with back-to-back wins against Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira, extending his unbeaten streak to four.

Makhachev and Tsarukyan will meet in the UFC 311 headliner on January 18 when the promotion heads to the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles for the first pay-per-view of 2025.