Dos Santos Preps To Defend Title, Velasquez Vies For Contender Status

UFC 146 Press conference. MGM Grand Las Vegas, Nevada. Junior Dos Santos (L) and Alistair Overeem(R). (Pete Griffin / Fox News Latino)

UFC 146 Press conference. MGM Grand Las Vegas, Nevada. Cain Velasquez (L) and Frank Mir (R). (Pete Griffin / Fox News Latino)

Las Vegas, NV – The last time Cain Velásquez and Junior Dos Santos were involved in a UFC event together, Dos Santos left the octagon as the victorious heavyweight champion. This time around, the two heavyweights are on different pathways, with Dos Santos getting ready to defend his title against striker Alistair Overeem and Velásquez just hoping to get another shot at it.

"No pressure," said Velázquez during a press conference for UFC 146 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Tuesday, when questioned on the importance of bouncing back from his loss to Dos Santos. "I don't think of those things as pressure that I have to win this for this. I look at my opponents, I watch film on them, I see what they do well, I put a game plan together and try to go out and execute it."

Cain Velasquez's Rise To The Top

UFC 146 will be big...literally.

For the first time in UFC history, all fights on the May 26 card will involve heavyweights, with Dos Santos headlining the event and Velásquez taking on Frank Mir in a bout to decide who will be the number one contender for the heavyweight title.

"I'm excited because I fought in the first network television event and now I'm going to be the main card on the (first UFC) heavyweights event," said the reigning heavyweight champion. "I'm proud of my career and I'm doing very good things."

MMA's Tough Latina

I'm proud of my career and I'm doing very good things.
— UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos

Both fighters are eager to get in the ring against their opponents, whom they have the utmost respect for.

"(Overeem) is a good striker and I'm a good striker," said Dos Santos.

"Fighting someone like Frank Mir, I mean, history," said Velásquez. "He's been one of the top guys for awhile now. He's dangerous in every area."

Other fights on the card include Roy Nelson vs. Antonio Silva, Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Shane Del Rosario, and Stefan Struve vs. Mark Hunt.

Pete Griffin is a Junior Reporter in Las Vegas for FoxNews.com.