Imago
via Imago
Imago
via Imago
Francis Ngannou is ready for the war ahead of him. However, he wasn’t ready for the surprise he got during the MVP ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday. As Ngannou and Brazilian heavyweight Philipe Lins faced off for the last time before their Netflix fight on Saturday night in Inglewood, California, an unexpected guest showed up to mediate the face-off.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
And it was none other than UFC legend Cain Velasquez. The 43-year-old casually walked onto the stage and joined MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisha Bidarian before greeting Francis Ngannou and Philipe Lins, who were ready for their face-off. After the face-off was complete, Ariel Helwani pressed ‘The Predator’ for his reaction to the surprise.
“I mean, it’s always an honor to see Cain,” Ngannou said. “I know we fought in the past, but it was just business. And as a man, I respect him a lot, and I love the way he stands up for his family.”
Top Stories
Francis Ngannou shows love to Cain Velasquez after he surprised him on stage at the MVP ceremonial weigh ins
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) May 16, 2026
“It’s always an honor to see Cain, I know we fought in the past but it was business. As a man I respect him a lot and I love how he stood up for his family” ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4graGuLVpO
Francis Ngannou and Cain Velasquez might be on good terms now, but back in February 2019, the pair was ready to tear each other apart. They fought in a headlining Fight Night event when the Cameroonian knocked out Velasquez in the first round. This was the last time the American heavyweight ever entered the cage and proceeded to retire after the loss.
Velasquez also helped mediate the face-off between Nate Diaz and Mike Perry. However, he didn’t stick around for the main event fight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. In any case, Velasquez’s appearance on the ceremonial weigh-ins comes after his release from prison.
Cain Velasquez was released from prison after 11 months in custody
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was released from prison after spending 11 months in custody. Velasquez had been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading no contest to charges connected to a 2022 shooting incident.
The case began when he chased a vehicle carrying Harry Goularte, the man accused of molesting Velasquez’s 4-year-old son, and fired multiple shots during an 11-mile pursuit. While Goularte was unharmed, his father, who was inside the vehicle, suffered injuries.
The incident shocked both the sports world and the public, sparking fierce debate over justice, revenge, and a father’s desperation. Throughout the case, many figures in the MMA community, including UFC president Dana White, publicly supported Velasquez, describing him as a respected athlete and devoted family man.
It appears Cain Velasquez has started making public appearances since his release from prison, as he slips back into normal life. What did you make of his surprise appearance?
