Velasquez wants toe-to-toe fight with Dos Santos
UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez (9-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) may best be known for his wrestling pedigree, but he doesn’t…
UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez (9-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) may best be known for his wrestling pedigree, but he doesn’t consider himself a grappling-first kind of fighter.
In fact, with a title defense against the striking-savvy Junior Dos Santos (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) on the horizon, Velasquez said he’s ready to test himself standing against the Brazilian bruiser.
“I want to mix it up with him,” Velasquez said Friday. “If the takedown is there, I’ll take it, but I definitely want to mix it up with him.”
Despite eight wins by knockout or TKO in his nine career victories, Velasquez often has been criticized for his lack of punching power. That perception changed dramatically in 2010 as Velasquez destroyed former champion Brock Lesnar, as well as MMA legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Velasquez believes his new reputation as a feared striker is a perfect example of what it takes to be successful in MMA.
“You’ve got to always learn,” Velasquez said. “You’ve got to always evolve. You can’t just maintain at one level and try to keep winning. You have to always evolve with the sport. I think that’s the one thing that’s been big that I’ve been able to do.”