Short Memory

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In the constantly shifting world of mixed martial arts, fortunes can change in a matter of moments.

On Nov. 12, 2011, Cain Velasquez entered the Octagon an unbeaten champion, seemingly capable of an extended reign given his extraordinary combination of cardio, determination and skill. Then, an overhand right from Junior dos Santos sent Velasquez tumbling to the canvas, and a series of follow-up punches assured that the Mexican-American’s run as heavyweight king would be short-lived.

While some might have favored the Brazilian challenger in the matchup, which ushered in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s partnership with Fox, few could have predicted he would topple Velasquez in 64 seconds. Network executives have to be included in that group, considering the title fight was the only bout of 11 slated for the first Fox broadcast. Dos Santos’ shocking knockout made it necessary for approximately 58 minutes of filler to occupy the hour-long program.

It certainly was not the outcome Velasquez expected, especially after shoulder surgery had sidelined him for 13 months after he captured UFC gold by defeating Brock Lesnar at UFC 121. However, the defeat was not devastating, nor does it define him. The resilient son of a Mexican migrant worker, Velasquez has long since moved on.

“I’m definitely able to let it go,” Velasquez said during a recent UFC teleconference. “In wrestling, I’ve lost matches before, and it’s always a thing where you learn from it and watch film -- but you don’t think about it. You have to move on. That’s what you have to do. I wasn’t thinking I was going to go my whole career undefeated. You expect to lose sometimes. He was better on that day, and that’s all it is. Right now, I’m ready for the next fight.”

Some six months since that loss, Velasquez finally returns to action at UFC 146 on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. After a bit of main-card shuffling, the American Kickboxing Academy representative will lock horns with former Strikeforce talent Antonio Silva in the co-main event. That Velasquez waited as long as he did to get back in the cage proves he is not going to let one setback negatively influence the trajectory of his entire career.

“There was part of me that did want to [rush back], but the most important thing was having my body 100 percent and then going on to take a fight,” he said. “If I needed the time to get that going, that was more important than going back into a fight at that moment. I think the way I did that now was perfect for me.”

Once he was ready, Velasquez resumed training at AKA, the well-respected San Jose, Calif.-based camp that includes the recently crowned Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix winner Daniel Cormier. The former two-time All-American wrestler at Arizona State University saw no reason to break from a routine that helped him to nine straight wins to begin his MMA career, including notable triumphs over Cheick Kongo, Ben Rothwell and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

“I haven’t [done anything different]. I always try to get better,” Velasquez said. “There’s always room for improvement in every area: in the standup and on the ground -- just overall. So there really hasn’t been anything different.”

Having Cormier in his camp figures to be an advantage; the 2004 Olympian was the last person to face Silva, knocking out the massive Brazilian in the semifinals of the Strikeforce tournament in September. Cormier’s encounter with “Bigfoot” lasted less than four minutes, however, so Velasquez is not reading too much into the outcome of that bout.

“[He] told me about what it was like when he was in there, but that fight was so quick and a while ago,” he said. “We’re expecting a completely different fighter than fought that night. ‘Bigfoot’ is much better now.”

Silva had been on a roll prior to his loss to Cormier, besting Andrei Arlovski, Mike Kyle and Fedor Emelianenko in his previous three bouts. A former EliteXC heavyweight champion, he is known for using his massive frame to overwhelm opponents. The 6-foot-4 Brazilian normally weighs upwards of 280 pounds on fight night, but he claims he will enter his matchup with Velasquez a lighter and quicker fighter.

No matter what version of Silva shows up, Velasquez plans to be ready. He believes Silva is a more-than-worthy dance partner for a UFC co-headlining fight.

“Silva’s a tough guy. He’s had some great fights with top-level competitors, and he’s very well-rounded,” Velasquez said. “The type of guys that he’s fought, he definitely deserves a shot up here. I think he’s one of the best heavyweights out there.”

It has been a while since people have seen a vintage Velasquez at work. It was October 2010 when he dismantled Lesnar in his home state of California. After his loss to dos Santos, Velasquez apologized to his fans, friends and family. By taking the proper steps in preparing for Silva, the former heavyweight king believes he is primed to avoid a repeat performance.

“I don’t think I [showed what I was capable of at UFC on Fox 1],” he said. “Fighting somebody like dos Santos, that kind of stuff happens. Things happen. You’ve got to learn from them and take them to your next fights.”