Daniel Cormier crowns Cain Velasquez as UFC’s greatest heavyweight, says injuries stopped him from surpassing Jon Jones

Daniel Cormier, a former UFC champion in two weight classes, recently shared his thoughts on the best heavyweight fighter ever. He believes his former teammate, Cain Velasquez, could have been better than his rival, Jon Jones, if injuries hadn’t stopped him. Cormier praised Velasquez’s amazing skills and hard work, making a bold claim that has caught the attention of MMA fans everywhere.While talking to UFC fighter Aljamain Sterling, Daniel Cormier spoke highly of his time training with Cain Velasquez at the American Kickboxing Academy in California. He said Velasquez had a special mix of skills that made him stand out, even compared to fighters today. Cormier believes injuries were the only thing that kept Velasquez from being the greatest heavyweight champion in UFC history.“He was the best,” Cormier said, showing his respect for Velasquez’s prime years in the sport. “I have never seen anything like it. I still haven't seen anything like it today. The training, the skill set, the ability. He really could do it all. If he didn't have all of those injuries, he would be by far the greatest heavyweight of all time. No one would have beaten him.” Cormier also explained how Velasquez’s tough childhood shaped his intense training habits.He said Velasquez grew up with very little, which made him follow every coaching instruction without hesitation. “He was one of those kids who had nothing,” Cormier shared, describing Velasquez’s drive to succeed. “He had so little, so when he would get mixed up with people, no matter what they told him to do, he would do it. So, if the strength coach told him to leg press 800 pounds, he did it, he would leg press 800 pounds. He was a monster, and he worked and he worked himself into injury after injury after injury.”These injuries stopped Velasquez from reaching his full potential during his 11-year UFC career, which began in 2008. He won 12 out of his 15 fights and became the heavyweight champion twice, including a quick knockout win over Brock Lesnar just two years after his debut.Also Read: Who is Dominick Reyes' wife Brenda Lupian? Inside the UFC star's family life beyond the OctagonLuke Rockhold, a former UFC middleweight champion who trained with both Cormier and Velasquez, also spoke about Velasquez’s strength in the gym. In a recent interview before a boxing match, Rockhold called Velasquez the toughest sparring partner he ever faced. He described Velasquez as unbeatable during his best days, leaving a lasting impression on everyone he trained with.“It's no fun sparring Cain Velasquez, I'll tell you that,” Rockhold said, remembering the hard-hitting training sessions with Velasquez. “In his heyday, there was nobody badder than Cain Velasquez. Honestly, I've spent time sparring the best people in the world, and Cain was just, we all have moments, but Cain's moment was invincible. I've never seen anything like it.” Rockhold also praised Velasquez’s size and all-around skills in the ring.He explained how tough it was to face Velasquez in practice, saying preparation was key. “It's not fun,” Rockhold added, talking about the challenge of those sessions. “You have to have a plug ready to pull. Cain's good and all, but then you hit him in the face, and the motherf**** was 260 pounds, and he didn't stop, and he had everything. I could only hold him off for so long, but you know, it was good.”Now 43, Cain Velasquez is no longer fighting and is serving a five-year prison sentence for attempted murder after a 2022 car chase incident. He fired a gun at a truck carrying people, including someone accused of hurting his family member. Despite his two heavyweight titles and wins over big names like Junior Dos Santos, Velasquez's career is often remembered for what might have been if injuries hadn’t slowed him down.