🥋 Sundays with Cain – Episode 11 - A ROLL & RUMBLE Fight Co. Exclusive

🎤 Interview by “D-Man,” CTF Inmate Correspondent

Wednesday morning, I was pleasantly surprised to see the big guy was back from court. He paused when we locked eyes, and a huge smile came across his face. I smiled ear to ear in return and waited for him to speak. With big, dumb smiles, we ask in turn, "Are you good?" Each of us saying "yes". Having had our moment, I asked him how the county jail was. He quickly reported having taught some of the men there holotropic breathing. This did not surprise me in the least. I would have been more surprised had he not done so. I told him his absence has led to two weeks of interviewing Elio, Kirk, and Junior in his place. That, I felt, went well, and I learned how hard it is to write about someone in retrospect. We agreed to meet at our usual spot. In front of the soccer goal on the grass after breathing class. I had seen Cain again on Friday afternoon and asked him to think about his first childhood memory. He smiled and said he had just the story. I told him to wait for Sunday, but I  once again saw a smile light up his face at the thought. When I prepared for today's interview, I made time to capture all aspects of Cain's story. His present actions, past thoughts, lost memories, and the people he wants to share them with. If this is you're first 'Sunday's With Cain', I recommend you read them all. Don't skim through it or focus on the pictures alone. Listen to the story and hear from the man. He shares where he came from, who he was, the people in his life, what they have meant to him, and his understanding of who he is now. Take time and share the ride with me. You won't be disappointed; you may even be entertained a little.

Today, before the breathing class, Cain, Junior, and I did planks. I told them that I read somewhere that Cher can do a 5-minute plank. Elio asked… “Who’s Cher?” We all chuckled and tried to tell him who she was. After, we did some yoga I had learned from Bo Zolof's "We're All Doing Time". Then, Cain showed us a standing breathing routine that brought back a very familiar feeling from his class. Hold a crouch position long enough to send the blood to the legs. Then breathe out all your air as you straighten your legs and remain bent over. Ten huge quick breaths bent over. Suck in all the air you can as you stand up, hands to the sky. Hold your breath in as long as you can (this is where you feel the dizzying effect) and finally turn your head right, blowing out everything. Suck in, turning your head center. Blow out, turning your head left. Suck air in hard again, turning your head center. Then blow all of it out, bending over again and cough at the end to get every last bit air out. Hold that exhale with your hands on your knees and roll your stomach muscles. Needless to say, but it is a treat to learn from Cain. 

With that finished, we headed in for Sunday's class. Today was emotional for me. My daughters were on my mind, and Cain played Hillsong’s "As You Find Me". I felt a connection with my girls and saw them in my mind listening to this song at church. There were two new guys in today's class. Art is an older man who uses a cane, and I noticed Cain put him in the middle of the circle. I didn't ask, but I'm sure it was so Cain could keep an eye on him. He had all the guys happy to have him back. While also preparing for the future, Cain has Junior reading an explanation of what holotropic breathing means and how to think about the journey it brings. It is all about not thinking about what to expect and letting "what comes, come.” When class is over and Cain sits across from me in the grass, we start. I want to tell you, Cain, I had a different experience writing about you, without you. "Ya, but you're doing good!” Thank you. Curious, what was your trip to the county jail like? "When I left, I was unsure what I could take. It turns out you can't bring anything but legal paperwork.” Not even a bible? "No, it was like being evicted for me. I have been through that many times before, so I kind of coped through my experience of having to leave everything and go.”

Did you go back to the same housing unit you were at in Santa Clara County before coming to prison? "Ya, they put me in the same cell. I had been talking to a guy my first time there about books. He let me borrow some mysticism books, one about guardian angels, and one about psychic abilities". What was your mindset? " I had to reset and make peace with being isolated again. I told myself I could be there till March. I put my mind to the thought of just being comfortable being there". Did you have time to reflect on our "Sundays With Cain" episodes or the memories we've discussed? "I thought about everyone here. The breathing class and just appreciating what was here". Anything else about court and your time there? " I was talking to Michelle on the phone before I left. She had me on speaker phone or something. I don't know, it was hard to hear. She said she had seen the articles on the blog or something. I didn't know what she was talking about. Until she said, it was on ROLLNRUMBLE.com. I wasn't sure how she knew about it. I haven't talked to her about our interviews at all". How did that make you feel? "She read your 'Sundays Without Cain’ (week one) to me on the phone. It was so positive that I was tearing up on the phone. I think she was tearing up as she read it". Is that a good thing? " It was great. Someone so close to me. Being able to look at what being here in prison looks like". That's a good thing. That your story is being shared with those you love is one of the main goals here. I can only hope to share my story someday with my loved ones (my daughters). I keep challenging the readers of your story to share their story as well. 

You told me recently, you were approached about taking your breathing class to CTF Central. (For you, the reader. Cain and I are incarcerated in CTF North. Population: 2500 men. CTF Central is next door and has a population of about 2000 men). How did that come about? "That is what I've been pushing for, since I got here: Spreading the class to other facilities.” When they asked me what I wanted to do while I was here? I told them I wanted to teach the men holotropic breathing. As many as I can while I'm here. The Coach from CTF Central came over here and sat in for a class on Wednesday. I walked him through everything as the class went on, and there was a meeting afterward, where the Officers, Coach, and Captain talked about taking me over there for classes during the day and bringing me back when it's over". That's exactly what the big picture is. Spreading the Ascension Breath Work class to all the prisons. Well, speaking from my own experience with your breathwork classes, I think that’s a very admirable goal. If other prisoners could absorb a fraction of what I’ve gotten out of your classes, I think it would be a tremendous success. “That’s great! I love to hear that.”

Let's talk about your Plumbing class. You got back on Wednesday and took two tests on Friday. How did that go? "I passed both of them. I studied a little for the rigging test, but just skimmed over the communication test. I only have a Green Environment test and a Work Skills test left, I think. In five weeks, I will have my hours logged to graduate.” That will also earn you five weeks off your sentence. I cherish our time here together, but I don't want anyone here a day longer than they have to be. I hear that you are also getting ready to play on one of the flag football teams? "Ya, I haven't played since high school. I was recruited more for football by colleges than wrestling.” Really, what were you, a lineman? "I am really good with hand fighting and controlling a person rushing me, so ya, I was on the line.” Could we see a TD from you this season? " No, I'm on the line and we don't have flags". Maybe think about it. It could be a trick play! 

When I saw you earlier this week, I asked you to think about sharing your earliest memory as a child. You instantly lit up, and I told you to save it for today. Can we unpack that memory now? "It was my birthday party. I don't know if it was my 1st, 2nd, or 3rd birthday. I know we lived in a trailer park in Salinas. My favorite movie was Bruce Leroy's 'The Last Dragon'. I remember getting the pajamas for the movie. I was so excited. Very vividly, I remember being lifted up at the party. Seeing everyone there loving me and feeling so much love". What is your earliest memory of your Mom? "With my Mom. (Cain pauses) I remember working the VCR and trying to put a movie in. It was stuck. I remember pushing and shoving this movie in the opening so hard. My Mom stopped me and grabbed a fork and a butter knife. The old movie was stuck in our VCR and wouldn't come out. My mom fixed it with her fork and knife, and I learned a lesson. That sometimes you can't force things to work". 

What about your first memory of your Dad? " My Dad worked a lot in the fields of Salinas. We lived in Arizona by the time I was 4 or 5. He would drive every weekend from Salinas to Arizona. It was a nine-hour trip one way. My first memory of these weekend visits, I remember him telling me he was going to bring me a scooter. On the morning he arrived, it was without the scooter. I was so ashamed I started crying. When he saw that I was crying, I grew even more ashamed. I wanted to be happy to see him, but I climbed under the kitchen table to hide my tears. Looking back now, I wish I would of just hugged him. I didn't care much about the scooter. Inside, I was happy just seeing my dad". Thank you for sharing those childhood memories. I’m sure many of our readers can relate to similar experiences. Part of the reason we remember and tell our stories is an opportunity for us to learn and grow.

Let's go back to the end of your fight with Dennis “The Menace” Stojnic. You win the fight and are back in the gym the next day. You had said the fight camp preparing for Cheick Kongo was the toughest of your career. A few weeks before the Kongo fight, Michelle gives birth to your daughter. How did your life change? "At the time, I wasn't ready. I hadn't realized yet, this baby was the greatest thing on Earth. I had blinders on; I was so focused on combat and going to war. At the moment, I didn't have love to give". Did Michelle sense that? "She did, she was, and is the best at supporting people and their dreams. To answer your question, how did it change my world? I didn't realize it at the time, but this baby would eventually penetrate my heart. I don't know if anything else could have, but she did.” What was it like for you to hold your daughter for the first time?

Cain had been fighting back tears over these last few questions. This one broke the dam, and they rolled down his nose as he thought about the answer. "Just perfect. She smelled so good. She was so small and delicate.” Cain had received a study Bible from Coral this week. In it was a sketch she had drawn for him. He showed each of his fellow inmates as if it were priceless. To him, I think it is. So any parent knows you're not getting enough sleep. Who are you sparring with in the gym at this time? "I was striking with Paul Buentello. He had good hands. Mike Kyle and Daniel Puder were there working with me. Daniel won the WWE Tough Enough. I think Kyle Kingsbury came in then too.”

Were Bob and Javier in the gym every day with you? "Ya, they were there every day.” You had told me when you went to Russia that Javier didn't go because he didn't like traveling. Did Javier make the trip to Germany for your fight with Kongo? "He was there. Mike Swick was on the card that night, so Javier, Bob, and Daniel had to corner his fight, then run back and warm me up". Did you see Mike fight? "I watched it in the locker room. He knocked out the guy in the first round". Ben Sanders? “Yes, that's who he fought?" Yes, were you excited to see Mike finish it so fast? "That's why his nickname was Mike 'Quick Knockout' Swick. I thought he fought amazingly.” So were you guys staying in the same hotel with some of the other fighters? "They keep all of us at the same hotel. The whole fight card.” Were you sizing up Cro-Cop, Kongo, and Al-Turks? Were you thinking in your head, 'He doesn't look so tough. I could take him? "Ya, we saw each other around the hotel that week. I knew I could take all of them.” Did you know that Mirko Cro-Cop lost to Kongo at UFC 75? "No, really? I did know Cro-Cop was a K1 kick boxing champ, I think.”  

So you were the co-main. Cro-Cop beat Al-Turks in the fight right before yours. Did you watch that while you were warming up? "That close to my fight, I am working up a sweat. I am focused on my warm-up only by then.” Let's go into the ring. You got hit early in rounds one and two. The strike in round two dropped you to a knee. "I got hit early in all three rounds. I feel like each round I got dropped to a knee". OK, that's when you felt his power? "Each time I got rocked, I shot in and took it to the ground. I think I set a punch record that night (Not an all-time UFC record, but yes — Cain Velasquez’s fight with Cheick Kongo at UFC 99 on June 2009 is famous because of the sheer number of strikes he landed. Cain scored 273 total strikes according to official UFC stats), which at the time was one of the highest ever recorded in a single heavyweight fight. While Kongo rocked Cain a couple of times early, Cain’s relentless wrestling and ground-and-pound dominated the fight start to finish.

My power was not there; I was just throwing my arm at him. I should have been driving those punches with more power.” John Brooks (ROLL & RUMBLE Fight Co. founder, Sunday's With Cain editor, my friend, father figure, BJJ Brown Belt, and my statistics/fight research guy) said he saw you shake your head at the end of the fight. He thought he saw you were not happy with this win. Do you remember that moment? "I could have just lost. That's how I felt. I was disappointed. Dude, at the time, I was the hardest on myself. Like I was coming up to him, he hit me, and I had to take him down. I didn't go celebrate or anything after the fight. I started right away working on my defense.” Did Javier or Bob joke with you for getting rocked?" They instantly started coaching. Telling me, what did I expect? You walked right up in front of an elite striker and put my head in the middle like that. They told me, Don't be tough on yourself. They will work to fix that stuff". John wanted me to ask you, what level Jiu-Jitsu would you consider yourself? "I'm a black belt". Oh, John thought your wrestling was key? "For the Kongo fight, I was probably only a Blue Belt. Dave Camarillo was training me until I was a Brown belt. DC and I got our Black belt on the same day under Leandro Vieira. Somewhere between 2012-14 (Editors Note: It was in October of 2013.), I'm not sure exactly when". You never really went for submissions, so most people probably don't know that about you. "Remember what I was doing at this time. I made a decision and chose to fight this way. I wanted to go to war. I wanted to end each fight with strikes. “You wanted to hurt people?" Yes, that's how I wanted to find my answers, I was looking for".

Hulk Hogan just passed away, and he had a base of fans that stuck with him through everything. You have the same type of fans. People grew up idolizing you or saw in you their champion. They will be your fans till you pass away, too. What's something you want to say to your die-hard fans? (Cain thought long before responding) “Just… Thank You. We were all on the same ride together. I always tried to be true to myself". What role did the fans play in that part?" “It was uncomfortable for me to be famous. It was foreign to me. For them to like what they saw. It was just me doing the work I love. Wrestling. I just wanted to hide away. “Back in the gym? Was that your safe place”? "Ya, the gym or at home". 

One more question. Fan Question: From Truckee, California… HighRollerJoe asked. “Cain, in your fight with Cheick Kongo at UFC 99, you had to dig deep after taking some big shots early. Looking back now, what do you think that performance proved about you to the UFC and, more importantly, to yourself?” “To the UFC, I think it showed I had holes in my game. If I were fighting a really good striker and if couldn't take him down, I would be in trouble. To myself, it proved the game on my feet needed cleaning up. When I'm in front of someone, I need to pull the trigger. I needed to have more head movement coming in. I had to get back to the gym.” 

With that, our Sunday was over. I feel that Cain is still learning lessons from his life. When he talks about his family, the gears begin to turn deep inside. I hope you read all of our interviews. I hope you find time to share your story. Lean on Cain's example of being vulnerable and talk about your past to those you love. Read, Like, Share, Follow.

See you next week for SUNDAYS WITH CAIN!