Issue 125
February 2015
The history of mixed martial arts retold through the pages of FO's archives.
February 2010: after viciously finishing Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110, FO sat down with future champion Cain Velasquez to find out what separated him from every other heavyweight, even at this early stage of his career.
Before the media and MMA fans all over the world began to proclaim Cain Velasquez as the greatest heavyweight of all time or the baddest man on the planet, there were some doubts.
Despite dominating performances early on in his career when he took every opponent to the woodshed for a brutal beating, there was something about Velasquez that stopped people from believing in him.
In a way, the uncertainty that surrounded the AKA product made sense. This was an era where many heavyweights believed bigger was better. The likes of Shane Carwin, Alistair Overeem and then UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar reigned supreme, using their gigantic size advantages to smash their opponents. Velasquez, on the other hand, was about 20lb lighter and didn’t have the ripped physique of his peers. Judging by looks alone, Velasquez shouldn’t have even set foot in the Octagon with these gargantuan athletes.
When Fighters Only sat down with the future champion and his coaches in our February 2010 issue, we discussed his rise up the UFC heavyweight rankings. They said that after Velasquez bludgeoned ‘Big Nog’ with his fists, they were more than ready for a fight against one of those big dogs.
“Whoever it is, Carwin, Mir, or Lesnar, interim (champion) or not, Cain should get to fight for that title. We’d be happy to welcome Lesnar back,” explained AKA head coach Bob Cook.
While it takes most fighters four years to even get noticed by the UFC, it took the same amount of time for Velasquez to become the promotion’s heavyweight champion. According to former jiu-jitsu coach Dave Camarillo, the reason behind his rapid ascension to title contention was simple. “He listens,” he said. “Not only does he listen but he does what you ask. He hears you, learns and executes.”
The rise to the top wasn’t always plain sailing for Mexico’s first heavyweight champion. His daughter Coral was born during his training camp for Cheick Kongo and, as any new parent will tell you, sleepless nights and newborns go together hand in hand. Velasquez explained that staying up all night and hitting the gym afterwards was mentally and physically tough.
“It took a toll on me,” said Velasquez. “At times, I was falling asleep right before sparring; I’d be waiting to get into the ring and doze off.”
Clearly it didn’t hinder him too much. Besides hitting a speed bump against Junior Dos Santos in his first defense of the UFC heavyweight title he won from Lesnar, Velasquez has looked spectacular against everyone he’s faced in his eight years of competition.
While no one questions his skills anymore, there are people who doubt whether he can stay injury free for long enough to cement his legacy. His withdrawal from a heavyweight title fight against Fabricio Werdum at UFC 180 in Mexico City was due to the latest in a long line of ailments that have stopped him from competing. However, if he can stay away from the surgeon’s knife and keep up the momentum he’s generated since he regained the strap from Dos Santos, then the critics will finally be silenced.
Elsewhere in the February 2010 issue. . .
Welterweight woes
After finishing Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez at 155lb and becoming arguably the best lightweight of all time, BJ Penn began to talk up a move back up to welterweight once he dispatched his next challenger – Frankie Edgar.
“Dana has expressed that he would want to see this year, maybe, me in the welterweight division. We will see,” said the then champion. Things didn’t quite go according to plan. Penn eventually returned to the 170lb weight class, but only after twice being defeated by ‘The Answer’. However, moving up in weight didn’t result in much of a change in luck for ‘The Prodigy’, as he posted a 1-2-1 record before dropping all the way back down to featherweight.
Time to say goodbye?
The UFC’s first lightweight champion Jens Pulver announced his retirement from mixed martial arts in 2010 following five defeats in a row in the WEC cage. However, his exit from competition lasted less than half a year as he returned to action on the Californian regional circuit.
He fought for another three years – going 5-6 in weight classes ranging from 125lb to 145lb – before retiring then returning again in 2014.
Match made in heaven
FO scored a very rare interview with former WEC matchmaker Sean Shelby in this issue of the magazine. The man who brought us epic lighter weight fights such as Anthony Pettis vs. Benson Henderson, Jose Aldo vs. Urijah Faber and so many more explained how he got into the business of being an MMA matchmaker, how he was able to find some of the greatest talent to ever set foot inside the Octagon and the difficulties that come with letting talent go.
NOSTRADAMMAUS
Olympic obstacles
MMA in the Olympics has been a pipe dream for fight fans for a number of years. Many see it as an opportunity to legitimize the sport and get more eyes on it than ever before. Back in 2010 FO’s own consultant editor Gareth A. Davies explained there would be many bridges to cross before fighters could make the jump to the biggest sporting event on earth. “We are still a very long way from this happening, minimum ten years. The IOC board has an antiquated view on many things and a voting system bedevilled by regional divide.” Four years on and looks like Gareth’s prediction was right on the money. We’re still no closer to the Olympic dream.
