WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Cain Velasquez can’t really plan his next steps after he fights Francis Ngannou in the main event of UFC Phoenix on Sunday.
It’s not just that Ngannou is a tough opponent, not one to look past. Velasquez could theoretically be in a No. 1 contender or even title fight if he wins in the ESPN headliner. But there could be limitations to what the former UFC heavyweight champion can do.
Daniel Cormier, Velasquez’s close friend and longtime teammate at American Kickboxing Academy, is the current heavyweight titleholder.