Cain Velasquez recalls the early sparring moment that revealed Makhachev's elite potential

Two-time UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez says he knew Islam Makhachev was destined for greatness after their early sparring sessions at American Kickboxing Academy, where Makhachev repeatedly caught him with shots that almost no one else could land.

Speaking on the Shawn Ryan Show, Velasquez recalled training alongside Makhachev and his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov during the fighter’s formative years. “Islam is fcking so skilled in the game, like fcking good everywhere,” Velasquez said. “To where he was coming up, I’d spar with him, like light sparring, and he’d hit me with stuff — and nobody hits me with stuff — but he’d hit me with stuff, I’m like, ‘Where the f*ck did that come from? This guy’s good.’”

Makhachev has since validated that early impression in emphatic fashion. The Dagestani fighter currently reigns as UFC welterweight champion, holds the UFC record for most title defenses at 155 pounds, and carries a 29-1 professional record. He also sits atop MMA Fighting’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Velasquez, who was widely considered the best heavyweight in MMA during the early 2010s before persistent injuries curtailed his career, retired in 2019. His post-fighting life has been turbulent: in February 2022 he was arrested following a high-speed chase in California and charged with attempted murder after shooting at a man who allegedly molested his son. He was released from prison in February of this year and is currently on parole.

Despite stepping away from the sport, Velasquez retains a clear-eyed appreciation for how far MMA has come. He was part of a landmark moment himself in 2011, when his fight against Junior dos Santos headlined the UFC’s first event on Fox. “I feel like it’s gotten so popular and I knew it was going to happen,” he said. “Guys have gotten so polished, so good everywhere. People know that this is a high-level combat sport. The highest level.”

Velasquez also credited the sport’s growth with driving wider participation in grappling disciplines, noting that more people are now pursuing jiu-jitsu and wrestling as a direct result of MMA’s rising profile.