Cain Velasquez debuted with WWE on the first episode of SmackDown on Fox and reignited a nearly decade-long feud with the man he defeated for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, Brock Lesnar.

The two MMA Superstars met at UFC 121 on October 23, 2010. The Beast was the biggest draw in Mixed Martial Arts at the time and held wins over legends such as Frank Mir and Randy Couture.

Not one to be intimidated, Velazquez entered the fight looking to dethrone the champion, and he did just that with a TKO victory in the first round.

After making his pro wrestling debut with AAA at TripleMania 27 on August 3, WWE came calling. Vince McMahon recognized the value of putting him in the ring with the man he defeated nine years earlier and jumped at the opportunity.

The storyline reason for Velasquez coming to WWE is getting retribution for his friend, Rey Mysterio, after Lesnar attacked him and his son, Dominick.

WWE has since announced a match between Lesnar and Velazquez to take place at Crown Jewel on October 31 for the WWE Championship.

Some might think this is a one-off gimmick match, but according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com, Velasquez has signed a multi-year deal with the company, meaning The Beast won't be his only opponent. 

There are a lot of interesting possibilities for feuds with full-time WWE stars once he is done with Lesnar. Let's look at some of the most likely opponents Velasquez will face in the future.

Rey Mysterio

Being the man who brought Velasquez to WWE as part of a storyline does not mean Mysterio will never face him. In fact, it makes it a strong possibility.

If management ever decides to turn the MMA heavyweight into a heel, Mysterio would be a great choice for his first babyface rival.

The David vs. Goliath factor is there and the personal history, even if it is fake, has already been established as part of WWE canon.

They could team up for a few tag team matches before Velasquez turns on Mysterio to ignite a singles feud. If done right, this could be a WrestleMania attraction.

Bobby Lashley

The most obvious choice on the entire roster as a potential rival for Velasquez is Bobby Lashley. WWE clearly has no interest in having him face Lesnar, but putting him in the ring with another MMA veteran is a possibility.

WWE has struggled to find the right way to use The All Mighty since he returned in April 2018. His babyface act was not interesting and his heel persona has yet to build the kind of heat he once had in TNA before it became Impact Wrestling.

Oddly enough, both men fought in 17 professional MMA fights. Velasquez retired with a 14-3 record while Lashley sits at 15-2.

This could be the perfect target for the ex-United States titleholder. He could brag about having a better win-loss ratio to incite a feud with the former UFC champion. The rest writes itself.

Lashley needs to be taken seriously as a dangerous competitor and he isn't going to get there by stealing the wives of other wrestlers.

Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe incorporates a lot of MMA techniques into his pro wrestling style, which would make him the kind of guy who could work well with an inexperienced performer like Velasquez.

This would be a brutal war between two legitimate tough guys. It's the kind of fight we rarely see in this day and age because wrestlers tend to be a bit smaller than they were in the '70s and '80s.

Joe needs a high-profile feud when he returns from injury. He would be a perfect second opponent for Velasquez and a great option for his first long-term storyline.

We still don't know how often he will perform in a WWE ring, but if his schedule allows for as many or more dates than Lesnar, he and Joe could have a feud that lasts a couple of months before Velasquez takes a break.  

Roman Reigns

If you are going to be a big star in WWE, at some point, Roman Reigns is going to end up across the ring from you.

The Big Dog is still one of the company's top draws despite being out of the title picture for almost a year. His record and experience make it so he no longer needs a belt to feel important.

However, if Velasquez does end up taking the WWE title from The Beast at Crown Jewel, he would be a good option to pull Reigns back into the hunt for gold.

Nobody has to turn heel for this to work. This could be about two warriors trying to see who is superior while maintaining a level of respect for each other.

Matt Riddle

There is a chance we never get to see Matt Riddle take on Lesnar or Goldberg, but there is a possibility he could square off with Velasquez in the future.

The Bro has been building up a name for himself in NXT for the past year and many expect him to be called up to the main roster at some point.

Riddle is the only other person in WWE who spent time in UFC. Velasquez could get under his skin by saying he couldn't cut it in MMA and that is why he never held a title.

If WWE is going to shell out big money for someone such as Velasquez, it should take every opportunity to give him opponents who can match his style. 

Long-Term Future

If Velasquez is going to be a presence on WWE programming for the next few years, the company needs to figure out how it wants to use him.

He will likely be booked similar to Lesnar in a lot of ways, but with The Beast working as a heel most of the time, it would be wise to keep Velasquez as a babyface for the time being.

Eventually, his villainous turn will mean more if he spends at least a year working as a heroic character. When he finally attacks Mysterio, it will be that much more heartbreaking.

WWE needs to be smart about who it puts in the ring with him. If he is going to be a major attraction, he needs to face opponents on a similar level. 

Who would you like to see face Velasquez in a WWE ring?