Cain Velasquez Explains Why His WWE Match With Brock Lesnar Was "Uncomfortable"
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez appeared on the Keepin' It 100 Podcast this week and discussed his brief stint with WWE from a few years back. After showing off some impressive moves in two matches for Lucha Libra AAA in 2019, the former champ wound up debuting in WWE at the end of Friday Night SmackDown's premiere episode on FOX. He was immediately pushed into a feud with the newly-crowned WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, playing off their shared history from their 2010 fight in the UFC. His match with Lesnar at Crown Jewel 2019 wound up going just two mintues before Lesnar retained, and he'd wrestle a house show match a month later in Mexico City before disappearing from the company completely.
Velasquez described the experience of working with Lesnar as "professional," before admitted it was "a little uncomfortable." Velasquez recently stepped back in the ring for Lucha Libre AAA for a six-man tag match earlier this month, though he is still dealing with the legal situation regarding an attempted murder charge from earlier this year.
"Yeah, professional and I would say it was a little uncomfortable (planning out the match with Brock Lesnar)," Velasquez said. "I'm just so new to the wrestling world but everyone that I've worked with has been amazing as far as, you take care of everybody. We really do try to put in some good things in there where everyone gets what they want out of it and making it just for the fans. Working with Brock was interesting man, that's all I'm gonna say. It was very different. You kind of just learn from your life and okay, this is what this was. I know for next time if something else ever happens for next time but... [Velasquez laughed]. With Brock, that's kind of what it was and again, the best thing about what I do now with wrestling is I can bring my family in and they're true fans of it, you know? And that is the best."
Velasquez's win over Lesnar at UFC 121 in 2010 earned him his first of two UFC Heavyweight Championship reigns. He'd lose the title to Junior dos Santos the following year, then when it back in a rematch in December 2012. His second reign ended in 2015 against Fabricio Werdum and he'd only fight two more times before retiring in 2019.