Lesnar Relaxed and Healthy as Velasquez Bout Approaches

On Saturday, Oct. 23, UFC Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar will defend his title for the third time when he takes on number one contender Cain Velasquez in the main event of UFC 121 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Though both men are former NCAA wrestlers, the two are nothing alike stylistically. Lesnar is a mountain of a man and will likely walk into the cage on Saturday night at around 280 pounds. Velasquez, by contrast, is a lean 240. Nobody is out-muscling the champ, but Velasquez may hold the quickness advantage required to stifle Lesnar where others have failed. When asked about the inherent style clash between the two heavyweights, Lesnar was general with his response at Wednesday’s pre-fight press conference.

“In the UFC, everybody's tough,” said Lesnar, shaking his head. “You have to prepare well, and be prepared for anything. Every training camp, every single fight, I get better. I haven't had any easy fights. Every fight is a huge challenge. Cain is a challenge. There’s not one guy under contract in the UFC who isn't tough son of a bitch.”

While most are awarding the strength advantage to the champion by default, the consensus seems to be that the tables are turned when it comes to endurance, an opinion that Lesnar does not share.

“If his conditioning is that great, then I guess we'll see. All I ever hear about is Cain Velasquez's conditioning. Well, I wrestled at the University of Minnesota. I’m a former NCAA champion,” said the champion. “From the beginning [of my MMA career], we’ve always trained to go 25 minutes. It would be unprofessional for me to not show up in good shape.”

Lesnar is riding a four-fight winning streak heading into Saturday’s title defense. He was last seen in the Octagon against Shane Carwin at UFC 116 in July, a match that Lesnar nearly lost after eating a Carwin overhand right and falling to the canvas. Despite absorbing heavy punishment from the challenger, Lesnar recovered and would eventually submit an exhausted Carwin in the second round via arm triangle.

“[That win] built a lot of character, I think. We train in the gym to be put in uncomfortable positions, and believe me, it was uncomfortable being under Shane Carwin,” said the once-beaten Minnesotan. “I think you can look at it two ways. You can look at it like Shane got the upper hand, or you can look at it like I took good punch, got back up and won the fight. I look at it the second way. Anybody who goes down and then gets back up, it’s a character builder.”

Prior to his win over Carwin, the former Golden Gopher had trained with the man whom he had beaten two years ago to win the heavyweight championship, Randy Couture. This time around, Lesnar has been training with kickboxing ace Pat Barry to prepare for Velasquez’s striking.

“The good thing about my camp is that we try to bring guys in to make us better. I don't want a bunch of punching bags lying around on the floor,” said Lesnar. “I want somebody who is going to put me out of my comfort zone and is going to make me better. I appreciate every one of those training partners. I think if you stay in stride and never trip or fall, you don’t improve.”

That defense against Carwin almost wasn’t, however, as the fight [originally intended for UFC 106] was indefinitely postponed after Lesnar discovered he had diverticulitis, an intestinal disorder, and would require surgery. After nine months of recovery, enduring doubts about whether he would ever fight again, the champion is apparently back to 100 percent.

“I’m very thankful to be able to fight. Everybody sitting up here knows how important health is in this sport. To be able to compete twice in one year [means a lot]. To be where I am now [compared to where I was], of course I have a different outlook. I’ve always been excited to fight, but [now I appreciate it a little more],” said Lesnar. “I went back to the doctor after [UFC 116] for another check up. He said I won’t need to see him again for a while as long as I stick to my diet and eat really clean.”

After such a long layoff, it might seem strange to see Lesnar in the cage so recently after his July victory over Carwin. One reporter asked the champion if the match with Velasquez came too quickly.

“When I first got the call, I wasn't overly excited,” said Lesnar. “But it actually worked out really well. I took a week off and then went back into training camp. So no, I’m happy with how it turned out.”

When asked about his thoughts regarding his status as the “face” of the UFC, Lesnar responded humbly if not dismissively.

“I do appreciate it. It’s a business for me. I think we’ve got a good business relationship. I don't make it more complicated than has to be. I don't buy into any of the BS. Train, sleep, family, fight: It's my life, and I like it,” explained the champion. “I just want to be better – to be the best I can be. That’s the whole purpose [of me competing in this sport], proving that I'm better than that guy I step in the cage with.”

The champ wasn’t totally serious, however, as he jokingly fielded questions about his newly grown beard.

“I finally just hit puberty, and I wanted to try it out and see if I could grow one,” laughed the former All-American. “I’m going hunting the next day in Canada. It’s cold up there, so [the beard] is not going anywhere.”