He is without question the most hyped heavyweight in the world. Cain Velasquez, who has dominated fellow heavyweights with aggressive takedowns, incredible cardio and unparalleled recovery, seems to be on an inevitable course to a UFC Championship.
But before moving into direct contention, Velasquez had to do battle with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110.
While Nogueira would not be the strongest or most aggressive of Velasquez’s opponents, he absolutely represented the most accomplished and experienced. Nogueira’s ground technique represented a threat to Velasquez’s wrestling–would Velasquez simply get to dominate with reckless ground and pound? Nogueira’s chin similarly represented a question mark for Velasquez–if there is one stated weakness in Cain’s game, it is his finishing ability. If Velasquez wanted to silence the albeit small population of critics, finishing a fighter like Nogueira would be the way to do it.
Cain Velasquez succeeded in that quest. Opting to stand with the seasoned striker–rather than going for an early takedown–Velasquez put himself in the line of fire. But the real fire was imposed on Nogueira, who got rocked with a combination on the feet and then utterly knocked out with some hard ground and pound. In less than three minutes, Cain Velasquez proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is one of the best in the world.
Cain Velasquez defeated Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via knockout (punches) at 2:20 of Round One.
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