THE TSS TAKEAWAY: Readers' Cleanest, Hardest Shots Post UFC 121

Absent a high profile boxing offering, many fightwatchers instead ponied up for the UFCs offering, with a main event of Brock Lesnar-Cain Velasquez, the current and perhaps future of the heavyweight class.

Velasquez handed Lesnar his second straight beatdown, and the torch was handed, no, grabbed hungrily by the Mexican American. At 28, he seems closer to his wrestling prime than the 33-year-old Lesnar, who toiled in the pro wrestling sphere, and flirted with pro football, after completing college in 2000.

TSS-EM is struck by the cascade of compliments showering down on Velasquez…lordie, UFC PPV analyst Joe Rogan seems to think Cain is virtually a once in a lifetime specimen. Id caution that this sport is evolving rapidly, and within a year or two, or maybe less, the next Next Big Thing will soak up the spotlight. Speaking of soaking up the spotlight; our superlative readers weighed in post UFC 121, and shared their thoughts theories on the card.

Pete Steward: Cain is what Joe Frazier wouldve been if he had gone into MMA at an early age… SMOKEN!

Mister Lee: Valesquez had a good jab and head movement, and I feel its not too late for Brock to learn standup, but too much upper body muscle gets in the way of speed and smoothness, and underdeveloped legs takes away from a solid base to throw punches. Holler!

The Saint: Cain is a good fighter, but Brock Lesnar is a fake a– fighter whos already been exposed twice before. Mir exposed him in their first fight and Carwin put just as bad a beating on Lesnar as Cain did before Carwin gassed out. Brocks best weapon are his size and strength. The two times hes fought someone who could stand up to his raw strength he took a beating. The man cant fight. His fighting style is big-soo-do. We now know that Fedor Emelianenko wouldve ripped Lesnar a new one. What happened to Fedor against Werdum was a fluke. This was not a fluke. Brock has had his a– handed to him twice in a row now.

Brownsugar: Technically, I thought Brock needed a CAT scan, an MRI, and Post Traumatic Response counseling after his last win, but this time it was clearly a life giving save while Brock embraced the primal illusion of safety from the fetal position. Folks were starting to match Brock up with Klitschko but reality has finally sunk in.

Brownsugar: Brock charged at Velasquez like a Sumo wrestler trying to collect a bad debt. Velasquez kept his composure and his feet. Then he rained some well placed punches at Brocks head that he never recovered from, Velasquez got a takedown and never stopped. Ref waived him off, TKO. Brock is not comfortable with punches approaching his face. Closes his eyes everytime, plus Valasquez, a two time all American wrestler had good technique (more of a boxer mentality) and stamina, he stayed patient and effective. Brock brought his best intensity but looked like he was still punchy from his last fight. Dude is too late in life to master the striking game.

Donte: A star was born last night ladies. Cain Velasquez, the Cali-American Crusher, is the new heavyweight champion of the world. NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY, beats the crap out of Brock Lesnar like that. Velasquez is undefeated and just beat the ever-loving spit out of the baddest and most feared man on the planet bar-none. Just a virtuoso performance for Cain. Brock will be back -Maybe Lesnar-Mir 3 anyone??- but Velasquez is the standard bearer heavyweight champion in all combat sports. Can you imagine what Cain would have done to James Toney? My goodness, newspapers wouldve been breaking out those obituaries they write and keep on file in the event of an untimely death. I would even like to see Cain BOX Toney in a 10 round fight. I dont think Toney could get past round three. A treat for all would be to drag one of the Brothers K into the Octagon so the world could really see how awful they are. Dana White would call the show EXPOSED.

Brownsugar: Velasquez is much closer to his wrestling prime than Brock is. Too many years in professional wrestling has diluted Brocks keen wrestling skills to that of an acrobatic body-builder. Velasquez looked as though he had the striking skills of an amateur boxer with about 15 fights under his belt, which is enough to overwhelm most MMA guys who become shellshocked when they see punches traveling towards their face faster than an extended handshake, which wont be the case as the sport evolves. Too bad most fights look like the tedious match won by Shields. But in the absense of any notable fights during the month of October, last nights event certainly filled the void.