Cain Velasquez issues statement on UFC retirement

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez released a statement on Monday regarding his official retirement from mixed martial arts.

Below is what Velasquez wrote on his Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3m6QoigYUe/

To the UFC, my family, friends, and all the fans, thank you for the past 11 years. Thank you to all my coaches, teammates and agents. I am so blessed to have been able to have a career doing something I absolutely love. I knew from the time I was a junior in college I wanted to be a fighter and after graduating from college, I set off on my journey of becoming a fighter with the goal of being UFC Heavyweight champion. There are few people in this world that can say they have achieved what I have, and I am forever grateful for the opportunities and position I held being a part of the UFC. With my official retirement from the UFC, it’s time for the next chapter.

A year ago, when I went to my first WWE show, I fell back in love with a sport that I had watched and participated in since I was a child. From that moment, I have been doing a crash course on all things that relate to pro wrestling. I’ve been training at different gyms, going to shows and watching more matches then (sic) I would like to admit, but I can honestly say I eat, sleep and breathe (sic) wrestling now. The contract is signed and I’m on my way to my next goal which is Universal Champion.

WWE Universe, thank you for welcoming me with open arms.

Velasquez was officially introduced as a WWE superstar last week in Las Vegas. He is set to wrestle Brock Lesnar in a rematch later this month in Saudi Arabia. The two previously fought in MMA back at UFC 121 in October 2010, with Velasquez stopping Lesnar to become the UFC heavyweight champion. Despite injuries derailing his MMA career, Cain Velasquez will go down as one of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history.