Every time I insist that Francis Ngannou is the scariest puncher in the UFC heavyweight division, Cain Velasquez fans rebut with, “Yeah, but Cain’s wrestling.”

That pretty much tells me where their collective heads are at as we approach this weekend’s UFC event on ESPN, headlined by the Ngannou vs. Velasquez fight, one that has serious implications in the 265-pound title chase.

The action gets underway on Sunday night (Feb. 17, 2019) inside Talking Stick Resort & Casino in Phoenix, Arizona.

ESPN recently posted a collection of Ngannou’s greatest hits, which include but are not limited to his first-round snuff films starring Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem, two longtime veterans known for their heavy hands.

That’s not to suggest the Velasquez fight will be easy, even with his extended layoff.

The ex-champ is no stranger to hulking brutes, having faced (and finished) Brock Lesnar, Antonio Silva, and Junior dos Santos, just to name a few. Will Ngannou join that illustrious list of heavyweight victims?

We’ll find out in just a few days.