Cain Velasquez updates on his fighting future: “I can’t provide a timeline” for return

Cain Velasquez, who is a two-time former UFC heavyweight champion, stands out as one of the very best heavyweights on earth. When he is healthy, he is one of the most ferocious big men to ever rattle the foundations of the Octagon. Regrettably, the former champ’s career has been marred by repeated injuries, which have caused him to withdraw from key fights and spend long stretches on the bench.

Velasquez’s latest injury-related SNAFU occurred in December, when he was scheduled for a rematch with Fabricio Werdum, the man he lost the heavyweight title to. Though he apparently had the intention to compete with a severe back injury, he was ultimately deemed unfit to fight, and forced out of this planned showdown by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Shortly after this grim twist, Velasquez went under the knife to correct the issues with his back. Apparently, this January surgery was a resounding success. Unfortunately, however, it doesn’t look like the former champ will be returning to the cage any time soon.

On Monday afternoon, Velasquez took to his official Instagram page with a brief update for his fans, explaining that he is currently healing up, but that he’s currently not able to train the way he’s used to, and therefor not able to provide a definite timeline for his next steps onto the canvas.

See the heavyweight great’s post in full below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRmUse8g5XX/

When we last saw Velasquez in action, he rebounded from his title loss to Werdum with a vintage destruction of Travis Browne. He looked better than ever in this fight, even adding a few wheel kicks to his arsenal. Regrettably, it sounds as though it could be some time before he’s back at it. The 34-year-old is 14-2 overall.

Who do you want to see Cain Velasquez fight when he returns to the cage? Sound off, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/14/2017.b