Cain Velasquez Details the Grueling Training That Led to His UFC 121 Win Over Brock Lesnar

Few moments in UFC history stand out like Cain Velasquez’s dominant victory over Brock Lesnar at UFC 121. The former two-time heavyweight champion walked into the fight as the underdog but left no doubt about who the superior fighter was that night.

Lesnar, known for his explosive power and elite wrestling, had bullied most of his opponents before Velasquez. However, Velasquez knew he had the tools to dismantle him. Speaking on Beyond The Belt, he detailed his brutal training camp leading up to the fight.

“I probably weighed in at, like, 240-something going in,” Velasquez said. “My strong suits with him, I was very good at getting off the bottom. We did this in college wrestling a lot. I was just very good at getting up from the bottom, so I knew if I were to get stuck there, then it could be a long night for me.”

Velasquez credited his rigorous training at American Kickboxing Academy, where he constantly drilled bad positions with top-level wrestlers, including Daniel Cormier. He trained for the worst-case scenario—Lesnar’s takedown—so he could always stay in control.

“We started in the worst positions,” Velasquez continued. “My coach Bob Cook would stop sparring, make me lay on my back with 16-ounce gloves, and have DC lay on top of me. We repeated that drill multiple times each round.”

Velasquez’s preparation paid off, as he neutralized Lesnar’s wrestling early and overwhelmed him with relentless pressure. By the end of the first round, Lesnar was bloodied, exhausted, and unable to defend himself against Velasquez’s precise striking.

Nearly a decade later, the two met again—but in a completely different setting. In 2019, Velasquez entered WWE and immediately confronted Lesnar after his victory over Kofi Kingston. However, their scripted pro wrestling rematch at Crown Jewel 2019 played out differently, with Lesnar submitting Velasquez in under two minutes.

While their WWE clash was forgettable, their UFC 121 showdown remains one of the most definitive heavyweight performances in MMA history.