Leandro Vieira (right) is a jiu-jitsu coach at C. Velasquez's academy (center). Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
Cain Velazquez would face Fabricio Werdum in the main fight of UFC 180, on November 15th, but its cut from the event was announced this Tuesday (21st) by the Ultimate organization itself, which opted to place an interim belt in dispute between Werdum and Mark Hunt. According to Velasquez's trainer at the AKA Leandro Vieira gym, it was a knee injury suffered during a grappling training session that culminated in the champion's departure from the card held in Mexico.
“It was last Wednesday. Grappling training started at noon and, at a certain point, Cain went to do a sprawl and his feather hit him sideways. Not that she got stuck or anything, but the way her foot hit the ground, her knee twisted. He didn't do the splits, but his foot opened a little and he twisted his knee. Until last week we were working with the possibility of him still fighting. On Thursday (last), he went straight to see a doctor and take tests, because in his mind, he was still going to fight. Nobody knew until then how serious the injury was and, as it was very close to the fight, the entire team didn't want to get discouraged”, said Leandro, in an interview given to the “Combate” channel website.
The coach also commented on the team's frustration with what happened and said that there is no prediction about a possible date for Velasquez's return. “Cain will have surgery this Thursday (23). I don't know how long he will be out, we just know that recovery from a meniscus injury is faster. It's annoying, because nobody wants to see anyone hurt, but it's better that he fights 100% than how he fought once against Cigano, when what happened and he lost the belt. In Velásquez's mind, if he felt good, he would fight, but we need to take care of the athlete's health and the injury was more serious than we expected. Either way, we know he will come back stronger,” he assured.
At 32, Cain Velazquez has a professional record of 13 wins and just one loss. Twice heavyweight champion, Velasquez hasn't fought since October last year, when he beat Brazilian Junior dos Santos in the finale of the trilogy for the 120 kg category title. At the end of last year, the American of Mexican descent had already undergone shoulder surgery and was out of action for a long time.
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