UFC 121 results: Cain Velasquez knocks out Brock Lesnar -- Viva Mexico!

Control prevails over brute strength

(Image from usatoday.com by Jae C. Hong)

Expect the unexpected, that is a phrase that could best describe Cain Velasquez’s stunning win over Brock Lesnar. It doesn’t have anything to do with strategy or mode of attack – both fighters trained for what the other might do. It’s the unexpected manner by which Velasquez grabbed the UFC heavyweight title from Lesnar: relatively easy.

Sure, Velasquez got hurt. Lesnar kneed him and was able to take him down, but Velasquez was never seriously in danger and got back on his feet rather quickly after every fall.

The dominance was by Velasquez. He landed the heavier blows and was always in control of his emotions, never let himself be tempted to let go and just pummel Lesnar even when he had the advantage. He definitely picked his shots. Velasquez is notorious for his iron-lung stamina and now he is just as famous for his control and restraint.

Lesnar looked intimidating making his entrance into the Octagon with his full beard and Metallica’s Enter Sandman coming out of the speakers. Velasquez, on the other hand, walked towards the Octagon stoic as usual. No emotion registering on his face. His intro music, in contrast to Lesnar’s heavy-metal menace, was celebratory. It was as if Velasquez was with his posse wading into a crowd at a Mexican fiesta.

The crowd made known where its sentiments lay as it cheered lustily for Velasquez during the fighter introductions and booed Lesnar. Accustomed to his heel role in professional wrestling, Lesnar managed to smile even before MC Bruce Buffer introduced him.

In mere seconds from the start of the fight, the fighters clinched. Lesnar kneed Velasquez and took him down. It didn’t take long for Velasquez to get right back up on his feet, but Lesnar quickly pushed him to the fence. Velasquez, with his back securely on the fence, elbowed the side of Lesnar’s head.

For almost a minute, Lesnar kept Velasquez on the fence before taking him down. Velasquez got back right up. It was Velasquez’s turn to take down Lesnar who did a Velasquez by getting vertical rather easily but Velasquez again took down Lesnar and got his back.

Velasquez kept the pressure and at 2:16 he knocked Lesnar down and proceeded to ground and pound him. He separated but fell down on Lesnar, controlling the bigger fighter with a knee on the chest.

Lesnar found a way to stand up at 1:07 but Velasquez hit him again with a solid punch. Lesnar fell while trying to cover up, his face bloodied from a cut below his left eye not counting the other damage Velasquez had inflicted on him.

Velasquez didn’t go postal and was still picking his shots even as match referee Herb Dean yelled something to the fighters; probably telling Lesnar to defend himself or he would be forced to stop the fight, which he did at 4:12 of the round.

With 48 seconds left and kilograms of oxygen still left in Velasquez’s gas tank, he became the new UFC heavyweight champion.

“I trained for a five-round fight...You can’t expect a first round stoppage…Latinos!...We did it, ha!” a jubilant Velasquez said in the post-fight Octagon interview.

Joe Rogan also interviewed Lesnar predictably with the crowd booing. Lesnar smiled through the pain, promising he would be back in the gym to train.

Lesnar said: “He is a great fighter…What can I say? He was better than me tonight.”

Yes, Brock, but you were not expecting that.

Other results:

• Jon Madsen over Gilbert Yvel (TKO, referee stoppage, Round 1, 1:48)
• Chris Camozzi over Dongi Yang (Split Decision, 3 rounds)
• Sam Stout over Paul Taylor (SD, 3 rounds)
• Daniel Roberts over Michael Guymon (Submission, anaconda choke, R1, 1:13)
• Tom Lawlor over Patrick Cote (Unanimous Decision, 3 rounds)
• Court McGee over Ryan Jensen (Submission, arm triangle, R3, 1:21)
• Brendan Schaub over Gabriel Gonzaga (UD, R3)
• Matt Hamill over Tito Ortiz (UD, 3 rounds)
• Diego Sanchez over Paulo Thiago (UD, 3 rounds)
• Jake Shields over Martin Kampmann (SD, 3 rounds)