Cain Velasquez: Why He Will Be a Bigger UFC Star Than Brock Lesnar
Cain Velasquez exploded on to the casual sports scene with his TKO victory over Brock Lesnar this past weekend.
Lesnar was the biggest star of the UFC heading into the fight, and now that he's not the champion, that position is in doubt. However, it's time for Velasquez to step into the spotlight, take the ball and run with it for the UFC.
Inside are 10 reasons why Velasquez will be a bigger star than Lesnar was for the UFC.
No. 10: Dominated Lesnar
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Cain Velasquez didn't just beat Brock Lesnar on Saturday night, he pummeled him into a bloody pulp in front of the world in that first round.
There was a cut on Lesnar's face that looked like you could drop a quarter into it. He had the champion reeling and falling all over the canvas in the match and it got out of hand so quickly that the referee had no choice but to stop the fight.
With the type of hype around Lesnar, a win like that is going to draw a lot of attention.
No. 9: Breakout Star
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Before he was slated to fight Brock Lesnar, not many people outside of MMA knew who Cain Velasquez was.
The casual sports fan hadn't heard of Velasquez, but after he destroyed Lesnar, everyone knows who he is. Velasquez is on everyone's lips, and his next fight is going to get a lot of attention to see if he can put forth the same performance he did against Lesnar.
I know that I'll be watching.
No. 8: Demographics
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Cain Velasquez is the son of an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and the UFC has been trying to tap into the Latino market. What better way to do that than with a Mexican heavyweight champion?
Velasquez is bilingual and can certainly help the UFC get more fans who have been reluctant to come over from boxing. He hasn't shied away from his heritage, especially in the build-up to his fight with Lesnar. You know that the UFC is going to try and make the most out of their new champion.
Expect to see Velasquez a lot more, especially in Latin markets.
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No. 7: Underdog
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Everyone loves an underdog, and coming into the fight, the odds were against Cain Velasquez.
A lot of people thought that Lesnar was invincible coming into the fight, and Velasquez destroyed that image. Even though people within MMA had a fight, to most of the sports world, it was a shock that Lesnar went down the way he did.
Velasquez had a lot against him his whole life, and now he's the UFC champion. It's a great story.
No. 6: Versatile Fighter
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Cain Velasquez is the type of fighter who can handle all sorts of challenges from an opponent.
He defeated a wrestler in Brock Lesnar and handled a kickboxer in Cheick Kongo. Velasquez has a motor that just won't quit. He's got a wide range of skills and knows how to use them all to pick apart an opponent's weakness.
Velasquez is a monster once he gets in the ring, and he's a thrill to watch.
No. 5: Future Matchup
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The next fight for Cain Velasquez is rumored to be Junior Dos Santos. The fight likely won't happen until next spring, but it's going to be a highly anticipated one.
It's going to be two fighters who have large arsenals of skills which they can use to pick each other apart. It's going to be a brawl between two young and hungry fighters. Hardcore MMA fighters are going to love this fight.
It won't disappoint, and people are already counting down the days.
No. 4: Rags To Riches
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Cain Velasquez is the son of an illegal immigrant from Mexico who is now the UFC champion. He fought his way up from the bottom to get where he is now.
He wrestled in high school and a community college before he got to Arizona State, where he continued to wrestle and was once ranked fifth in the country. Now, he's in the UFC and he's the heavyweight champion.
It's a story that you can't help but love, and it can only help his popularity.
No. 3: Undefeated
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Cain Velasquez is 9-0 in his short MMA career and everyone loves to see how long someone can go undefeated, especially in fighting.
Velasquez has done very well for himself in the sport, and especially after he beat Lesnar the way he did and considering how big parity is in MMA, people want to see how long he can hold on to the belt. He certainly has the tools to hold the belt for a long time.
Now, it's just a matter of if he can handle the impressive challengers the UFC has to offer.
No. 2: Strength
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To say Cain Velasquez packs a punch would be quite the understatement.
Velasquez was tested by Sport Science, and a hook from the fighter registered at 2,230 pounds of force, which is harder than any boxer or fighter ever measured by the company. By comparison, Rampage Jackson registered 1,800 pounds of force.
I can't imagine even taking a punch like that. It more than explains the way Lesnar looked after the fight.
No. 1: Knockouts
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Cain Velasquez has nine fights in his UFC, and in those fights, he has won seven of them by TKO and another by knockout.
Velasquez beats his opponents into oblivion when they step in the ring, and people love to watch fighters like that. There's a reason Mike Tyson was so popular. Sure, you'd pay $50 to watch a Tyson fight and it would be over less than three rounds into the fight, but it was worth it.
People want to see fighters like Velasquez who can knock a person out and leave them on the mat.
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