Coach: Johnson not the same guy DC fought the first time

AKA founder and head coach Javier Mendez spoke recently with Submission Radio, for a wide-ranging interview that covered team members former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and current UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.

The coach was asked how often he sees Velasquez in the gym.

Rarely,” said Mendez. “He’s been more enjoying time with his wife and he did an Airbnb, those rentals that you rent. He’s got one in Arizona that he’s fixing up to rent, so he’s been doing that and spending time with his wife and his child. He’s been doing more family stuff. He comes in the gym on a rare occasion, but he’s slowly coming back into it. He’s not jumping on board to do anything, he’s just taking his time.

The coach offered a general time frame for Cain’s return.

I would say probably summer time, you know, probably June, July depending on the UFC and his managers, what they put up,” he said. “I know that May 11th is something they’re looking at, but realistically Cain is not gonna fight on short notice. He’s not gonna fight without an eight-week training camp. So I look at it like if he’s hardly ever coming into the gym now because he has other business things he has to take care of, I don’t see him fighting [soon]. I see him fighting two times this year, but I don’t see him fighting in May because of the timeframe.

“I mean, if he had been consistent – let’s just say if he has been consistently training since last week, then I see he has the possibility, if the UFC wanted him to fight in May, I see that as a possibility. But because he has been inconsistent, I don’t see that as a possibility. I do see him fighting potentially in June, July, maybe even August and probably closer to the end of the year, but that’s when I see it.

I want Fabricio [Werdum]. Fabricio is a fight that needs to happen. That’s the fight that’s supposed to happen, that’s the fight that should happen, that’s the fight I want. I want Fabricio. Cain’s always been able to [get] revenge on those opponents who have beat him and I want him to have that opportunity to seek that revenge out with Fabricio. And hopefully the UFC can put that fight together, because that’s the fight I want. That’s the fight I think the fans want to see and that’s the fight I want. Anybody else, if they have to go through not Fabricio, then whoever it’s gonna be that’s gotta get him to the title. That’s what I want. And Francis

“Anybody else, if they have to go through not Fabricio, then whoever it’s gonna be that’s gotta get him to the title. That’s what I want. And Francis N’Gannou is not gonna be that guy in my opinion, because to me he’s a great talent who’s really not 100 percent tested yet. And if he’s number one then I want Francis N’Gannou, but he’s not number one.

“So I want number one. If Cain’s number one, then I want number two. So that’s the order that I would want. I don’t want anybody other than the number one or number two guys. That’s who Cain Velasquez should be fighting and I don’t want him fighting number five or whatever, I want him fighting number one. Whoever’s gonna get him to the title is who he should be fighting and not anybody else. He’s already proven that he’s the greatest at the present time. He’s still the greatest UFC champion of all time and he will again prove it, but I don’t want him having to fight – he’s already proven it, so he should fight the number one or number two. If he’s the number one, he should fight the number two. That’s the way I see it.

The coach also discussed Daniel Cormier vs. Anthony Johnson at UFC 210 on April 8. Mendez says Johnson is not the same fighter that DC defeated via RNC at UFC 187 on May 23, 2015.

“[Johnson] has advanced in everything,” said Mendez. “I mean, Anthony, well look, he’s knocking everybody out. He’s knocked out Bader, he knocked out Glover Teixeira. I mean, these are the best guys and he’s knocking them out. There’s no question. And then Jimi Manuwa, he knocked him out. Come on, he’s destroying guys, he’s destroyed everybody. So you can’t tell me he hasn’t gotten better. Oh yeah, he’s gotten better. But guess what, so has Daniel. So has Daniel. So we’re gonna see a great fight. Fans are gonna be treated to a fight. It’s gonna be just like the first one. Higher level but the same.

“Daniel’s gonna break him – and of course it’s gonna have to be on the feet and on the ground. It can’t just be both. So he’s gonna have to break him like last time and it’s not gonna be an easy task, and we gotta watch out we don’t get caught, because as you saw when he hit Daniel, he launched him. Had Daniel not been able to go with that punch, who knows, it might’ve been lights out for us. And Johnson is one dangerous competitor and I really like him too.

“He’s such a gentleman and he’s a class act. Out of all the fighters I’ve ever encountered, I’d have to say him and GSP are the most respectful and class act guys that I’ve had the pleasure of going up against.

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Javier Mendez starts at: 26:53
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