UFC
Cain Velasquez could meet Brock Lesnar-Junior Dos Santos winner at UFC 136 in October
May 2, 2011 - 10:05:35 AM Cain Velasquez could meet Brock Lesnar-Junior Dos Santos winner at UFC 136 in October

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez is being targeted for a return to action this October, as UFC President Dana White said on Saturday night he could return at the October 8 pay-per-view event in Houston, Texas.

The event, tentatively scheduled to be UFC 136, will be the UFC's first return to the Toyota Center since UFC 69 in 2007. That card saw Matt Serra upset Georges St. Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship.

Velasquez has been out of action since capturing the title from Brock Lesnar last October, suffering a shoulder injury in the fight that has required surgery and extensive rehab. He'll face the winner of the Brock Lesnar vs. Junior Dos Santos fight at UFC 131 in Vancouver this June in his first title defense.

Dos Santos was of course scheduled to meet Velasquez this spring, but took the bout with Lesnar when Velasquez was forced to undergo surgery. Velasquez will either still get that matchup, or he will rematch Lesnar nearly a year after defeating him to capture the belt.

Penick's Analysis: The UFC is doing a great job this year of building consistently strong and entertaining fight cards. They've yet to book the one major fight to draw a million+ pay-per-view buys, but they are keeping strong with big fights. Velasquez's return fight could be huge if it's the rematch with Lesnar, but the Velasquez fight in October wouldn't be nearly as big as it could have been this spring. Velasquez hasn't had a chance to follow up on the Lesnar win, and with it being out of mind for most by the time his return comes around the buyrate could suffer. Still, they could build up to his return in some capacity as the fight draws nearer to offset some of that, but again it's going to hinge on the June 11 event.