Brock Lesnar’s Greatest Challenge

In light of Kofi Kingston being the latest main event character to get rubbed out courtesy of the only NCAA, UFC Heavyweight and WWE World Heavyweight champion in the history of the game, one can only be left to scratch their head as to who the next marquee opponent should be for him.

That’s Brock Lesnar for those of you who aren’t following. C’mon people!

After destroying Kofi Kingston in mere seconds on SmackDown’s premiere on FOX, Mr. SummerSlam proved that he, just like his Marvel counterpart Thanos, is inevitable.

As fans, we’re always intrigued with what’s next, or in Lesnar’s case, who’s next. Besides making money, there’s not much left for the Beast Incarnate to do short of winning the Women’s Championship. It has been said time and again, however, by some of combat sports’ most recognizable names that while being a champion is an achievement in its own right, avenging your defeats is the mark of a true champion.

And as of August, one of Brock Lesnar’s greatest opponents has entered the world of professional wrestling.

Meet Cain Velasquez. It’s a wonder that I’d even have to explain who Cain is, as he is considered by most metrics to be the greatest heavyweight in UFC history, with apologies to names like Lesnar, Miocic and Cormier. Lest we forget that Velasquez, with minimal fanfare, went into the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, and beat the brakes off Lesnar for the entirety of the first round before knocking him out with less than a minute to spare. To do that to a guy like Lesnar, one of the greatest draws in the history of the UFC, would instantly launch the beneficiary into mainstream stardom. That’s pro wrestling 101. However, Velasquez was a soft-spoken champion who always gave his opponents the proper respect and let his fighting do the talking. He was a consummate professional and one of the nicest guys in the sport. Slaying The Beast inside the Octagon and doing it in dominant fashion made Cain a legendary figure in the sport, but ultimately caused him to fall short of being one of the UFC’s most talked about stars; falling short of becoming synonymous with the likes of Lesnar, Rousey, Jones and McGregor.

Strangely, I don’t think he’d have it any other way, which is why I never took him completely seriously when he would mention his desire to have a second career in professional wrestling. Generally, the top stars in wrestling have mirrored the top stars in mixed martial arts. They’re generally talented, though brash, arrogant and controversial individuals, and the latter three adjectives have never suited Cain.

In spite of this, Cain Velasquez went out at Triplemanía XXVII and delivered the best professional wrestling debut of the year, and probably the best wrestling debut I’ve witnessed since his MMA counterpart Ronda Rousey went out and delivered at WrestleMania 34.

Turns out, Cain has been training behind the scenes for years, and has really ramped things up since dropping his latest UFC fight to Francis Ngannou. There’s footage of him training at the WWE Performance Center, and footage of him over on Instagram specifically preparing for his match at Triplemanía. In watching him, it’s clear Cain offers a very unique package of skills to pro wrestling. He is influenced by three of the biggest names in Mexican wrestling: El Santo, Blue Demon and Mil “No Yob” Mascaras. The athleticism he packs inside a 6-foot-3, 260 pound frame is something you need to see to believe and to top it all off, he checks off every box as a true-blue babyface, just like Ricky Steamboat.

The list of UFC Heavyweight Champions currently active in professional wrestling is a short one. Besides Cain, there’s Josh Barnett and Brock Lesnar; the same man Velasquez beat in the Octagon nine years ago and the same man who claims to be the “reigning, defending, undisputed universal champion.”

All of a sudden, we have a story more compelling than anything the current SmackDown (hell, WWE) roster can offer its champion right now. History has shown us time and again that wrestling is usually at its best when it’s based upon a kernel of reality. Velasquez coming to slay The Beast yet again is brilliant booking, and a real coup by Vince McMahon to snatch him up before Tony Khan could get his hands on him. Although non-MMA fans thought it was Rey Mysterio’s son when Velasquez emerged at the end of SmackDown, the rest of the sports world knows how significant this showdown will be.

Perhaps we’ve finally found someone who Brock Lesnar can’t conquer.