Cain Velasquez.
Brock Lesnar may have overcome one undefeated heavyweight prospect by submitting Shane Carwin at UFC 116, but he's got another already locked and loaded for his next title defense, expected to take place later this year at an event to be named.
UFC President Dana White confirmed the heavyweight title match-up at the July 3 "Lesnar vs. Carwin" post-fight press conference on the heels of Lesnar's successful return to the throne.
Successful, but certainly not easy.
Carwin demolished the former WWE star with a lopsided beatdown in the opening round of their main event and even came close to a technical knockout stoppage on several occasions. Lesnar survived the blitzkrieg, shook off the cobwebs and fought back to secure an arm-triangle choke and "Submission of the Night" with a second round tap.
Now Cain Velasquez will try to finish the job that Carwin started.
Fresh off a UFC 110 drubbing of MMA elder statesman Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira back on Feb. 21, Velasquez had long been considered to be the next in line for a chance to rule the 265-pound weight class.
Then a pesky Brazilian named Junior dos Santos had to go and complicate things by making a mockery of the heavyweight division with a torrid 5-0 run including five straight finishes.
No matter.
Despite arguments in favor of "Cigano," the Zuffa brass already had a long term plan for Velasquez, carefully grooming him for royalty ever since his UFC 83 debut back in April 2008.
And for good reason.
In addition to his perfect record, the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) star has won all six of his Octagon fights, finishing five of them by way of technical knockout (punches).
His resume thus far has been impressive, but then again, so was Carwin's.
No timetable has been set for "Lesnar vs. Velasquez "and probably won't be for at least a couple of weeks. The champ has returned home to be with his wife in anticipation of their second child together.
Velasquez, meanwhile, remains on the sidelines until the Batphone rings. He hasn't seen action since UFC 110 but has remained active at AKA while his team mates prepare for upcoming fights.
Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez: Who ya' got?
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