A post shared by Esther Lin (@allelbows) on Feb 16, 2019 at 9:16pm PST
WHO IS THE HEAVYWEIGHT G.O.A.T.?
The GOAT conversation is one that will always exist and go on in every sport, but the debate will always have fuel in MMA. We always ask, who is the heavyweight GOAT, both UFC and otherwise, given the fact that promotions like Pride and Strikeforce had a direct competition with the UFC for many years prior. When referring to the heavyweight GOAT, three names generally come to the forefront; Fedor Emilianenko, Stipe Miocic, and Cain Velasquez.
A post shared by Федор Емельяненко (@fedoremelianenkoofficial) on Oct 31, 2016 at 5:22am PDT
Fedor dominated Pride at a time while Pride fielded perhaps the most stacked roster of fighters in the world, while Stipe currently holds the record for the most UFC heavyweight championship defenses at a whopping three.
A post shared by Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) on Dec 5, 2018 at 5:09pm PST
CAIN VELASQUEZ
And then there’s Cain Velasquez, a man who at his peak looked the part of an unstoppable force capable of matching the legacy that Fedor created in the ring of Pride in the UFC’s octagon. Cain’s skillset blends a mixture of an All-American wrestling base, elite boxing, and, perhaps his most lethal trait, unmatchable endurance. Velasquez is able to control his opponents by cutting off the cage and using his wrestling, whether it be through actual takedowns or feints, forcing them into mistakes giving him the green light to use his own offense, generally punctuated with a single leg takedown that not many can defend. While on the ground, Cain uses ground and pound to open up his opponents. He also holds a brown belt in BJJ, and is capable of using chokes if the position calls for it.
A post shared by Cain Velasquez (@officialcainvelasquez) on Jan 15, 2018 at 3:22pm PST
Cain returns to the octagon on February 17, after a 2 and a half year layoff, to matchup with Francis Ngannou, a heavyweight power striker. It’s no secret to anyone who follows MMA that Cain’s biggest problems haven’t come inside the cage, but rather inside his own body. His reputation has gone from potentially the greatest heavyweight to ever do it, to a man who seems lucky to ever see a fight because of injury. If Cain can stay healthy, he has the makings to regain the UFC Heavyweight Championship for a third time. The matchup with Ngannou will clue us all in on whether or not he truly is back.
A post shared by Cain Velasquez (@officialcainvelasquez) on Dec 26, 2018 at 1:06pm PST
Watch Cain Velasquez take on Francis Ngannou this Sunday, February 17, 2019 on ESPN. Read our fight card preview to get pumped for the entire event!
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