Former UFC champion Cain Velasquez signs with Global Fight League as team manager

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has signed with the Global Fight League.

The new team-based combat league was unveiled late last year. Founded by Darren Owen, the Global Fight League will have several teams based around the globe. Talent attached to the organization includes names such as Tyron Woodley, Luke Rockhold, Wanderlei Silva, and Anthony Pettis.

Earlier today, the GFL issued a press release detailing several new signings. There, they announced a handful of ex-UFC stars had joined the brand, including Paige VanZant and Cynthia Calvillo. Former Bellator women’s featherweight champion Julia Budd signed with the company, as did former Invicta titleholder Tonya Evinger.

However, the press release also announced the signing of ex-UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez as a head coach. The 42-year-old hasn’t competed since a first-round knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in early 2019. Afterward, the wrestler announced plans to retire from MMA and pursue a career in professional wrestling.

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Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez signs with Global Fight League

Cain Velasquez will help draft, and coach one of the GFL’s new teams. According to the press release, the former UFC champion has already enlisted the help of American Kickboxing Academy’s Javier Mendez. For what it’s worth, Velasquez is already an up-and-coming coach in his own right. Mendez revealed in 2023 that the former UFC champion is working with young talent at AKA.

“Cain Velasquez will be in some fighters’ corners that he’s with,” Javier Mendez stated in the video. “He is a joy to have, he is an unbelievable coach. I’m blessed to have him there at AKA daily with the guys. He’s a huge motivator, he’s becoming great at speaking, speeches. He’s becoming great at talking to the fighters, and the ins and the outs. How to think, how to be a champion, he’s fantastic. I couldn’t ask for a better coach and friend than Cain.”

Since then, the 42-year-old has been seen in several corners at UFC and Bellator events. However, he’ll have a lot more work to do when the Global Fight League season starts in April.

What do you make of this Global Fight League news? Are you excited to see the return of Cain Velasquez in a coaching role?