Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez hasn’t competed since defeating Travis Browne by TKO at UFC 200.
A slew of injuries has kept the former champion out of the Octagon, but the heavyweight plans on returning to action next year.
“When I come back I want to make sure I’m 100 percent healthy,” Velasquez told MMA Junkie. “I owe it to the fans, and I owe it to me. I can’t mess around anymore. I have to be ready. I’m about 80 percent. I would say sometime next year I’ll be ready to fight.”
The former champion has only competed twice in four years. When the former champion does return to action, there is no fight he'll be turning down, at least according to him.
“I think whoever the UFC wants to put in front of me (I’ll fight),” Velasquez said. “I’m all for taking those big challenges. Whoever they want to put in front of me, that’s how I’ve always been.”
Despite his long absences due to various injuries, the UFC Heavyweight Title has only changed once since he lost it at UFC 188 and that title change took place at UFC 198, when Stipe Miocic knocked out Fabricio Werdum.
