Daniel Cormier hints that Cain Velasquez could drop to light heavyweight

UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier’s next fight will not be in the light heavyweight division, but at heavyweight, where he will battle reigning heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic in an effort to become a two-division champion.

Cormier’s taking a title shot at heavyweight, of course, would seem to step on the toes of his long-time friend and training partner, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

Shortly after this news broke, however, Velasquez assured Cormier had his blessing, and that “things could get interesting” if Cormier wins the belt.

Like always, I’m gonna be in the gym everyday to help my brother @dc_mma become the next heavyweight champ at #UFC226. Once he wins, things could get interesting. #AndNew #WeAreAKA #GonnaGetMyBeltBack

— Cain Velasquez (@cainmma) January 27, 2018

On Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Cormier discussed Velasquez’s Tweet, and suggested that the “interesting” things Velasquez referenced could be a drop to the light heavyweight division.

.@dc_mma on teammate Cain Velasquez recently saying “things could get interesting” if he were to win the UFC heavyweight belt: “That’s something that we know that you guys don’t.” 🤔🤔🤔 Watch live: https://t.co/11sYrEm5Ug pic.twitter.com/bsg8hbkk87

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) January 29, 2018

“The goal has always been for [Velasquez] to get the belt back, and that will never change. That’s his goal, that’s my goal for him, that’ll never change,” Cormier said. “Once again, the decision was made after the well-wishes were granted. What if he said ‘things may get interesting’ because he may go to 205? Oh, that would be some interesting stuff right?”

While the hulking Cain Velasquez dropping to light heavyweight would seem to be a long shot, he did recently visit the UFC Performance Institute, where fighters are often educated on drastic weight cuts. Furthermore, a source close to Velasquez also recently told BJPenn.com’s Tom Taylor that, while Velasquez had no fight offer on the table, he was visiting the Performance Institute for “a very good reason.”

I know Cain at 205 seems insane, but after his recent visit to the UFC PI, a source very close to him told me that, while he doesn’t have a fight on the table, he was visiting the PI for “a very good reason.” The PI often helps fighters with their weight cuts… https://t.co/wGrlsX1eoC

— Tom Taylor (@TomTayMMA) January 29, 2018

The plot thickens…

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 1/29/2018.