Cain Velasquez had his four-fight win streak snapped the last time he stepped in the octagon against Fabricio Werdum. He beat Junior dos Santos for the heavyweight title back in 2012 and held it until Werdum submitted him last year with two successful title defenses in between.
Since Velasquez was guillotine choked by Werdum at UFC 188, he has not stepped back in the octagon due to a lingering back issue. Velasquez underwent back surgery recently, which was pronounced successful, so a timetable for his return has become clearer.
The 33-year-old hopes to be able to return before July so that he only misses a little more than a year (his last fight was June, 2015). Velasquez is the number one ranked heavyweight contender, but Werdum already has a title defense scheduled for UFC 198 when he will take on Stipe Miocic.
While Velazquez would love to return before July, it might be hard for him to find a worthy opponent if he is stuck on that timetable, as most of the top heavyweight contenders already have fights scheduled in the near future. Werdum vs. Miocic is scheduled for May 14, number five heavyweight Alistair Overeem is taking on number six Andrei Arlovski on May 8, and number four Ben Rothwell is set to fight number seven dos Santos on April 10.
The best case scenario, should Velasquez get a fight before July, is likely number eight heavyweight Travis Browne. Browne won his last fight in controversial fashion due to eye pokes and lost the fight before that, so a fight between him and Velasquez wouldn't generate as much buzz as Dana White and the UFC would likely want. Browne, though, is the highest ranked heavyweight without a fight scheduled, so if Velasquez wants to get his feet wet soon, that might be his best option.
One the bright side, it is great to hear that Velasquez is getting healthy and on the recovery trail. The fact that he wants to return to the octagon so soon is a great sign, but it might be best for him to wait it out so that he can get a little bit healthier and schedule a good fight. The 33-year-old heavyweight had to pull out of a rematch with Werdum, and the last thing he, or anyone, wants is for that to happen again.
