Is this the end for Cain Velasquez after history repeats itself?

November 12, 2011. Just one minute and four seconds into UFC on Fox’s main event, the undefeated heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez was felled by a huge right hand from Junior dos Santos.

At the time, it didn’t seem like such a huge gamble for Zuffa to place its faith in Velasquez carrying a one-fight card. After all, this was the man who had won nine straight fights, obliterating former champ Brock Lesnar in his last outing. But after building up to the contest for over 30 minutes live on primetime TV, just 64 seconds later, it was all over.

UFC on Fox: Uncertainty follows devastating defeat

UFC on Fox marked the debut of the promotion on a major terrestrial network. After seeing their incumbent champion, the man the company hoped would carry them into a new era, stopped in the first round, UFC’s top brass must have felt that they had taken a pretty big gamble after all. Uncertainty followed the event, with many questioning whether the promotion would ever convince the 8.8 million viewers who tuned in for the main event to want to return in such numbers again.

In some ways, those critics were right; the UFC hasn’t come close to pulling in such TV viewing numbers since. However, UFC on Fox was anything but the death knell it was feared to be: the company has gone from strength to strength since, culminating in its $4bn sale to WME-IMG last year and $1.5bn five-year mega broadcast deal with ESPN.

Velasquez, too, recovered from that sudden loss, going on to avenge his defeat against dos Santos not once but twice, and regain the heavyweight title in the process.

UFC on ESPN: Ngannou stops Velasquez in 26 seconds

Last night, the UFC entrusted the 36-year-old to carry the company into yet another new era. After a two-and-a-half-year injury layoff, Velasquez entered the Octagon opposite another heavy hitter, Francis Ngannou, to headline the inaugural UFC on ESPN. History has a habit of repeating itself, and after just 26 seconds, Velasquez again found himself knocked out.

The combination of a sharp left uppercut from the Cameroonian and apparent buckling of Cain’s knee saw Ngannou pounce, removing Velasquez from consciousness on the big stage once again.

It’s true that the UFC learnt lessons from its Fox debut by ensuring it went into its ESPN bow not just with heavyweight main event but a fully featured card. Regardless of the outcome of the contest, though, the promotion knew going in it would be subject to none of the same doubts about its long-term mainstream viability it faced back in 2011.

Can Cain come back from adversity yet again?

The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for Cain Velasquez. Despite claiming the stoppage was due to a “freak accident” and that “he beat himself” on the night, in truth, the Californian is an old 36.

Fighting just three times since October 2013, and losing twice, Velasquez has suffered a number of unfortunate injuries throughout his career. A torn meniscus, bone spurs in his back, and a torn rotator cuff are just a sample of the many issues experienced by the American Kickboxing Academy product since debuting in the UFC 11 years ago.

With doubts about his chin and ability to actually make it into the cage punctuating an otherwise dominant career, you have to wonder just how much longer the 36-year-old can continue to compete at the highest level.

At 14-3 and a who’s who of opponents under his belt, there’s no doubt that Cain Valesquez will go down as one of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history. Following UFC on ESPN, however, it remains to be seen whether he still has what it takes to compete at the top of the heavyweight division. If it takes another two years for the former champion to feel ready to make the walk to the Octagon, it may well be too late.