Cain Velasquez: Fellow UFC champ Jon Jones ‘has a lot of work to do' at 205

While fans have long speculated about a potential superfight between UFC champions Cain Velasquez and Jon Jones, the reigning heavyweight titleholder doesn’t see the bout happening anytime soon.

This past November, 205-pound champ Jones (20-1 MMA, 14-1 MMA) told MMAjunkie he was targeting a future showdown with heavyweight titleholder Velasquez (13-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) within the next two years. However, just this past month, Jones changed his tune and said he was no longer interested in the matchup.

Velasquez remains optimistic the fight could still occur, but he understands Jones’ statement – mainly because he feels “Bones” has a series of difficult challenges ahead of him in his own weight class, including a fight with American Kickboxing Academy teammate Daniel Cormier.

“He has a lot of work to do in his division right now,” Velasquez told MMAjunkie. “He had Glover (Teixeira), and now he has ‘DC’ and then he has (Alexander) Gustafsson also. I just think that’s in the present moment right now because he has a lot of opponents coming up.”

A Velasquez-Jones bout is arguably the biggest matchup the UFC could make between two active fighters, but it would only make sense if both champs continue their winning ways.

That’s a double-edged sword for Velasquez. While Jones would be a lucrative opponent, both financially and in terms of notoriety, Velasquez hopes Cormier will bring an end to the champ’s historic title reign.

“He’s ready for this,” Velasquez said of Cormier. “It’s his time. Jon Jones has that long reach, which is going to make things difficult. He throws those kicks and a lot of punches. His elbows are tough as well, but I think Cormier just has what it takes to win.”

Velasquez has proved willing to take on all-comers in his nearly eight-year career, and well before a fight with Jones ever becomes a reality, he must get past his next task, which comes in the form of No. 1 heavyweight contender Fabricio Werdum.

Werdum is scheduled to challenge for Velasquez’s title this November at UFC 180 in Mexico City. Before then, though, the two future opponents coach against each other on “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America,” which is currently filming in Las Vegas.

Even though the show’s production is still in the early stages, the 31-year-old Velasquez is enjoying the experience and has high hopes for his team of Mexican fighters who are looking to break through and into the UFC.

“It’s been good,” Velasquez said. “We’ve got a great group of guys and a good team going. Everyone has a great attitude, which I guess makes my job a lot easier that the guys are willing to put the work in and just to learn.”

While Velasquez is excited to coach the show and fight in the UFC’s long-awaited Mexico debut, questions remain about the condition of his surgically repaired shoulder. It’s kept him out of action since his victory over Junior Dos Santos at UFC 166 this past October.

Velasquez insists his recovery is on track for the targeted fight date. And admittedly, he’s pleased about his current coaching obligations on “TUF” because he can ease back into training in a less-stressful environment.

“I get to come back slowly as far as training and getting back in shape,” Velasquez said. “I have (head coach) Javier Mendez here look after me training. I feel good. I don’t want to push it too hard right now but slowly get back in it. I can do everything with the left hand again, which feels good. The thing is just getting back in shape right now.”

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