The ASU wrestling team received several motivational words from a former world champion three weeks before its season opener.
UFC fighter and former ASU wrestler Cain Velasquez visited his alma mater and spoke to the Sun Devils before their morning practice Tuesday.
Velasquez told the team he was proud to have wrestled at ASU, and his main message to the current wrestlers was to stay hungry during the season.
“I always had the mentality that whoever is in front of you, you’re going to put them through hell," Velasquez told the ASU wrestlers. “Make it a war for them. I always had the mentality when you’re training and when you’re out to compete.
“Always have the passion to do what you do. Every day may seem like a grind, but you always look for a goal. Just work your butt off and start achieving your goal.”
Despite having visited ASU numerous times during his UFC career, Velasquez’s brief homecoming still felt special to him.
“I just wanted to go back home and represent Arizona,” Velasquez said. “I wanted to help my friends and family. … My whole background is from wrestling here.”
Velasquez wrestled at ASU from 2003 to 2005. The heavyweight experienced a storied collegiate wrestling career. He finished fifth at the NCAA championships in his junior and senior campaigns, won the Pac-10 title in his final season and became a two-time Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year.
Velasquez returned to Tempe to promote his upcoming fight on Dec. 29 against Junior Dos Santos in UFC 155 for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. The bout will be a rematch between the two fighters in Las Vegas, after Dos Santos knocked out Velasquez in the first round in UFC on Fox 1 on Nov. 12, 2011.
Not only did Velasquez lose his title belt to Dos Santos, but he also suffered his first loss of his mixed martial arts career.
“I’m very excited,” Velasquez said about his upcoming fight. “I can’t wait to go back and get some revenge. I’ve been looking forward to this for a while. I can’t wait to get back in there. That’s all I’ve been thinking about — getting that belt back, getting that win back.”
In his only fight since losing the heavyweight championship, Velasquez defeated Antonio Silva in a first-round knockout in UFC 146 on May 26.
Velasquez said he prepared well against Silva and hopes to bring that same approach to UFC 155.
“It’s just having a good game plan,” Velasquez said. “We knew with Silva, he likes to kick early, and if you’re going to do that with us, we’re going to cash in and take you down. Having a game plan and going in and executing it — that’s what we want out of this fight (against Dos Santos).”
While he is preparing for one of the biggest fights of his MMA career, Velasquez wants his fellow Sun Devils to achieve the same success.
“I just hope they do well this year,” Velasquez said. “I wish them the best, being injury-free and going out there and (competing) well.”
Reach the reporters at jnacion@asu.edu and dsshap1@asu.edu
