Backstage News On Cain Velasquez - WWE Deal

After Brock Lesnar squashed Kofi Kingston to become the new WWE Champion on Friday's SmackDown, Cain Velasquez made his debut with WWE as he came down to the ring with Rey Mysterio.

On this past Monday's RAW, Lesnar crushed Mysterio and his son, Dominick, so the story from that is Mysterio has brought Velasquez in to take on Lesnar. Their match is reportedly set for WWE Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia on October 31.

The latest Wrestling Observer Radio gave some more insight into the deal between WWE and Velasquez. In AAA, Cain made his debut under a mask and performed a number of high flying moves, WWE wasn't looking for that type of persona as that was all removed as WWE looked to have Cain go back to more of his MMA roots.

Reportedly, the deal between the two sides had some "snags," including WWE pulling the deal off the table after being unhappy that word of Cain signing with WWE came out early. Apparently, the deal was initially pulled on Monday before RAW started.

Dave Meltzer noted that in Cain's ESPN interview that he said he wasn't signed with WWE yet. Meltzer was told from WWE that Cain was indeed signed, and said it made sense as WWE wouldn't run an angle to this magnitude if they didn't already have the former UFC Champion locked up. Velasquez had also reportedly been in talks with AEW and NJPW.

Velasquez, who previously defeated Lesnar for the UFC Heavyweight Title back in 2010, is making a transition from MMA to pro wrestling. He reportedly has notified UFC officials of withdrawing from the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) testing pool, retiring him from active competition.