Chael Sonnen explains why Cain Velasquez is “the scariest fighter in MMA history”

Chael Sonnen has his pick for the scariest fighter in MMA history, and his name is Cain Velasquez.

Velasquez is a former two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion. Velasquez was renowned for his wrestling abilities and his conditioning. He’s beaten the likes of Junior dos Santos, Brock Lesnar, and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira.

During an edition of his “You’re Welcome” podcast, Chael Sonnen shared why he viewed Cain Velasquez as a nightmare for the heavyweight division during his prime years (h/t MMAFighting).

“The scariest fighter in MMA history: I had, with a pretty sizable gap, Cain Velasquez,” Sonnen said on his podcast You’re Welcome. “He had the whole bit: He lad the look, he had the eyes, he had the jawline, the stoicness, the rumors and reputation, the work ethic. He had the record, he had the knockouts, the collegiate résumé. But there was something scary about a big guy that had the level of conditioning. We don’t see that very often, not that level, not where they can be on you that hard, non-stop.”

Sonnen said that one may argue that reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou deserves the distinction of being called the scariest fighter in all of MMA. Sonnen reminds listeners that he’s not talking about who would win in a fight, but rather who had the resume to match that scariest MMA fighter title.

Velasquez decided to walk away from pro MMA competition and looked to have a future in the pro wrestling business. He even signed a deal with WWE, but was released and returned to the Mexican wrestling promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide.

Velasquez spent 253 days in jail before being freed on bail. He’s been hit with multiple charges including attempted murder. If found guilty of attempted murder alone, Velasquez will face a minimum of 20 years in prison, and up to life.