Why this is the rookie
TCDB's Velasquez listing starts in 2009 and has two RC-flagged cards: Round 1 #82 (released 23 February 2009) and Round 2 #61 (30 September 2009). #82 came first and shows his UFC debut against Brad Morris at UFC 83, confirmed by NS Lists and the card's own 'UFC DEBUT 4.19.08 UFC 83' stamp. No licensed pre-UFC card turned up from his Strikeforce or Arizona State wrestling days. SportsCardsPro marks #82 'Is Rookie Card: No', but it does the same for every 2009 Topps UFC card we checked, so it isn't pointing at a different card.
Velasquez's first card: a two-man 'UFC Debut' card of his first-round TKO of Brad Morris at UFC 83 (19 April 2008). It came out more than a year and a half before he won the title. SportsCardsPro files it as 'Brad Morris, Cain Velasquez', which is worth knowing when searching.
Round 2 #61 is often sold as 'the' rookie. It is RC-flagged but later. Because SportsCardsPro files #82 as 'Brad Morris, Cain Velasquez', searches for 'Velasquez #82' can miss it. His 2010 autographs (Leaf AU-CV1, Topps FA-CV) are sometimes called 'rookie autos', but they came a year after his rookie cards.
Identifying it
- Horizontal Round 1 design, 'UFC DEBUT 4.19.08 UFC 83' stamp
- Red strip reading 'CAIN VELASQUEZ vs BRAD MORRIS'
- Parallels: Gold, Silver /288, Red 1/1 (TCDB)
What gets mistaken for it
| What you'll read | What's true |
|---|---|
| SportsCardsPro says it isn't a rookie card. | SportsCardsPro's 'Is Rookie Card' field reads 'No' on all the 2009 Topps UFC cards we checked; TCDB flags #82 RC. |
Parallels
Grading & population
Population figures will be taken directly from the grading companies and dated when they are. None are shown yet.
Sources & research High confidence×2
Every factual claim on this page, the evidence behind it, and an honest confidence level. Where sources disagree the disagreement is kept, not quietly resolved.
Cain Velasquez's rookie card: 2009 Topps UFC Round 1 #82 — Cain Velasquez / Brad Morris.
TCDB's Velasquez listing starts in 2009 and has two RC-flagged cards: Round 1 #82 (released 23 February 2009) and Round 2 #61 (30 September 2009). #82 came first and shows his UFC debut against Brad Morris at UFC 83, confirmed by NS Lists and the card's own 'UFC DEBUT 4.19.08 UFC 83' stamp. No licensed pre-UFC card turned up from his Strikeforce or Arizona State wrestling days. SportsCardsPro marks #82 'Is Rookie Card: No', but it does the same for every 2009 Topps UFC card we checked, so it isn't pointing at a different card.
- Trading Card DatabaseCain Velasquez cards (all years), accessed September 21, 2026
- Trading Card Database2009 Topps UFC Round 1 #82 Cain Velasquez / Brad Morris, accessed September 21, 2026
- NSListsUFC Round 1 (Topps, 2009) checklist, accessed September 21, 2026
- SportsCardsProBrad Morris, Cain Velasquez #82 — 2009 Topps UFC Round 1, accessed September 21, 2026
- WikipediaCain Velasquez, accessed September 21, 2026
2009 Topps UFC Round 1 #82 — Cain Velasquez / Brad Morris.
Go deeper
- The card record2009 Topps UFC Round 1 #82
- Cain Velasquez archiveKey cards and eras
- 2009 Topps UFC Round 1Set record