Brock Lesnar: A farewell to the former UFC Heavyweight Champ
Posted on January 2, 2012, 10:48 PM by Trent Reinsmith
If the words he spoke on Saturday night are to be believed, we have seen the last of Brock Lesnar in the Octagon. In an MMA career that spanned just eight fights he accomplished more than some fighters do over much lengthier careers. Love him or hate him, you have to, even if it is begrudgingly, show some respect for what the man accomplished after joining the UFC after just one professional fight.
As Dana White recalled at the post UFC 141 press conference, “Brock Lesnar came to me one night here at the MGM and pulled me aside and said, ‘I want to fight in the UFC, and I laughed. He was 1-0 and came from the WWE.”
Perhaps wanting to send a message to Lesnar that he was not ready to fight with the big boys in the UFC, he first fight was against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir, and although Lesnar lost, he showed that despite having limited experience he was a game fighter.
Just a short time after that, he captured the UFC Heavyweight title with a TKO win over Randy Couture. Lesnar then avenged the loss to Mir at UFC 100. In his next bout, questions began to surface about his willingness to take a punch, especially from a heavy-handed fighter like Shane Carwin, whom he fought at UFC 116.
Carwin landed a lot of heavy leather on Lesnar, but the champ ate it and after Carwin gassed himself out he earned his first submission in the UFC, forcing Carwin to tap to an arm triangle choke.
In his next fight, he once again showed a lack of enthusiasm for standing in when his opponent, Cain Velasquez, was able to land some heavy strikes. Perhaps learning a lesson from the Carwin fight, Velasquez was patient, picking his spots and earning the TKO win along with Lesnar’s title.
It was after that fight, while coaching on season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” that Lesnar would fight a battle of a different sort after being diagnosed with a second occurrence of diverticulitis. Unlike his first bout with the disease, this one required surgery, surgery that removed 12 inches of his colon.
Most would probably have reevaluated their priorities at that point, but Lesnar had a goal, get back that UFC gold. The problem for Lesnar was that he had to first get past Alistair Overeem before he would get a shot at the UFC title he once held.
Lesnar fell short against Overeem, being buckled by a huge kick to the body and then finished by strikes after dropping to the mat. After the fight Lesnar took to the mic and retired.
You could argue that during his short time in the UFC he never really proved that he was one of the best. You could say that he got by on strength and wrestling and was not a well-rounded fighter. You could even disparage him if you wanted to for coming from the world of the WWE. However, you cannot deny that he was one of the biggest draws in the history of the UFC. His pay per view events were huge spectacles, drawing over a million buys on several occasions. Lesnar put asses in the seats.
Was he good for the sport? That depends on how you define good. Surely he was good for the growth of the fanbase as many tuned in just to see him fight and that growth may have helped the UFC secure their deal with FOX. Lesnar showed how one name fighter could generate a great deal of interest in the sport. On the other hand, some would argue that he set the sport back a bit, as some of his antics were carried over from the WWE, an example being his post UFC 100 tirade.
Did the good of Lesnar outweigh the bad? I’m not sure, but like it or not, Brock Lesnar does have a place in UFC history. Whether you remember him as “The Baddest Man on the Planet” or as the behemoth that fled when the going got tough, the fact remains that you will remember him.
Further Reading: UFC 141 Results Recap: Alistair Overeem batters Brock Lesnar into Retirement
Photo: UFC fighter Brock Lesnar during a portrait session before UFC 116 on June 30, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Francis Specker
Comments
Overeem aiming for the stomach only might have something to do with that diverticulitis surgery....might as well have been a big bullseye.
Anyways, Brock could have been a real force to be reckoned with if only he got some more experience against non-top-ten fighters once in awhile to get his experience up, and ofcourse if he didn't have to deal with nearly dying twice and taking one year layoffs.
Great go anyways, he got the title and defended it twice, even with that huge setback.
I'm sure Alistar did try to reinjure Brock, do you really think he would let anything stop him from moving forward?
Well Brock, you made a big jump on the scene when you arrived and it was some added excitement to a division that needed it.
MMA is going more mainstream and theres always someone tougher somewhere at some point. Thanks for your stint in the UFC and wish you well. P.S. hook me up with your wife's sister.
i think brock is a beast when u like spar with him for fun and no punching allowed, but in the ring he just freezes it seems in his last fight.
It would be great if M1 global offers Lesnar a fight with Fedor. Every MMA fans want to see this fight.
Now that Lesnar isnt in the UFC prison anymore , he could fight the best HW of all time.
I like Lesnar but I dont think he would be able to hammer fist Fedor that much. i think Fedor would submit him or Punch him hard in the face
Not this crap again!
enough of this bum-has been-made up-pre fabricated "mma fighter"! Im the baddest man on the planet,LMAO!!! the biggest bust that is! biggest clown! who else retires being 5-3? is articles like this that continue to give credit to this nobody,give people a freaking break lowkick! and you better weak my comment at like 1,0000000~!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just love your comment, Brock only got that title shot because of his marketing power, Brock was the most overhyped fighter of all time. I cant believe some people had Lesnar in their PP list.
Brock has always looked out of place in the cage, even when he managed to wrestle an opponent down and doing his GnP he still looked weird.
Thats why I love MMA, unskilled/phony fighters will inevitably be exposed. #GoodRiddance
@Buragash
Phony fighter? How could a phony fighter beat 2 world champions and submit an undefeated wrecking machine who has champion potential.
A phony fighter is someone who is pretending to be a fighter.
I don't know how anyone who is just pretending to be a fighter can KTFO out of Mir and Couture, some of the sports all time greats?
Also you say he is unskilled. He completely shut down Mir's amazing submission game the second time and slapped on a beautiful arm-triangle on Carwin.
One last thing. He is one of the best wrestlers you to ever come to MMA. If wrestling doesn't take skill you better let these fighter's know:
GSP, Jones, Evans, Velasquez, Sonnen, Edgar, Maynard, Cruz, Faber, Mendes, Fitch, Hendricks, Koscheck, Carwin, Hamill, Davis, Jorgenson and a lot more.
@keith... do you have the kind of respect you have for brock with fedor? because this happened a lot with him on everyone of his 3 losses. and he has done way more than brock. when he lost all of fedor haters said that he was overated and he was never a great fighter.
i think that you are right when you say that brock had 3 really big wins (maybe 2, i didnt considered couture a beast at that moment) but on his fight with overeem he looked really bad. and also at some points of his fights with cain and carwin when he just runned all over the ring like a crazy horse. but besides that he did a lot on the sport on a short period of time.
bottom line if you were one of those guys that were hating on fedor and now is defending brock lesnar you are just being nonsense. if you defended both of them then i respect what you are saying.
i personally am a fedor fan and im sure all the guys that hated on him on his losses were big brocks fans. now probably most of the guys hating on brock are big fedors and prides fans.
get Fedors balls out of your mouth sonny, this thread is about Brock... where in the hell did that guys post you are commenting on, even mention Fedor
@mauromina Yea I defend and put fortha arguements against all the Fedor haters. I pretty much defend all fighters except a few as in my opinion they all deserve respect.
Only people I don't defend is someone like Lombard who is known for bullying in the gym, being arrogant to the press and complains about competition but won't go to the ufc.
I still think Brock has does more for MMA than Fedor. Fedor is a bigger star for the hardcores but to the casual fan and for the actual growth of MMA, Brock has done way more. A lot of casual UFC fans haven't heard of Fedor.
there goes one of brocks favorite nutthuggers
you are a really hot woman hunter you could do really better than him
and i will write what ever the hell i want to... even if its about your white bikini
What have you ever done with your life "sexipapa" sounds like a child molester with a huge mouth........ I'll weak you just because your a azz.
sexypapi you are a disrespectful b*tch.
Lesnar KTFO Randy Couture and Frank Mir, then went onto hand Shane Carwin his first loss at a great comeback submission. That's 3 of the better HWs of all time.
Brock may not have been able to take a punch as much as his opponents, who where usually far more experienced than him in the striking game.
He even stood with Alistair Overeem, yes that guy who holds the best belt in kickboxing. May have not been a smart idea but coming off his death bed, for a second time, then standing with one of the deadliest kickboxers in the world takes some guts, confidence and big flipping balls.
Anyone who disrespects Lesnar's MMA career is obviously extremely ignorant to the sport and its athletes and shouldn't even be on these forums.
no its not, randy was hardly a top ten more like seven or eight mir was behind him and carwin doest deserve a top ten ranking at all hes the ufcs brett rodgers
@these Brock haters.
I can guarantee all these guys hating on Brock saying he is unskilled are the ones who hate on GSP and always say that someone like Kos, Diaz or Condit is going to KTFO of the boring GSP....
Probably the same people who say Sonnen is the champion and Pride was fake..
Firstof all, i don't think blows to the stomach has anything to do with diverticulitis coming back or not. Its not blows to the stomach that gave him the disease again. Yes, it may have been a strategy from Overeems camp, but i kind of doubt it was to reinjure him....
I doubt that is even possible to get a relapse of the disease by nees to the body.
And if he wasn't completetely healed after the surgery then he wouldnt have been cleared to fight. Because if a major bloodvessel ruptures in his abdomen, then that could be a fatal injury so he was completely healed.
It's not like this was the "first time" that Overeem has used those devastating knees on an opponent...
Hence the term "Überknees"!!!!!!
The point is not a lot of MMA fighters would have come back after a major surgery like that and Brock, despite all the money that he has already, he still came back for 1 last run at the title.
That's true.
I'm not saying anything against that, i'm just adressing the issue of Brocks injury after the operation...
I didn't like Brock at first,(actually i still don't) but you got to respect the guy for what he did. But it couldn't last, he isn't wellrounded enough to take on the more wellrounded, younger, fresher guys of the hw division.
yay. goodbye.
Anybody who doesn't appreciate what Brock has done to the sport is just a pure HATER and doesn't really care about the future of MMA. This guy has helped immensely in bringing new fans and awareness to MMA. He may not be the most skilled fighter BUT he did what he had to do and he was successful while it lasted. If you are a true MMA fan, you have to give respect to what the guy has accomplished in such a short period of time.
shitty fans
What a waste of time writing such if "article" this guy was just a HYPE!! and he is just making MMA a favor with his retirement!
Its all good Trent, vatos sporting a Tyson pic and wielding disrespect doesn't account for much.
are you Brock LESSnar wife?
he was just a HYPE! he did nothing on mma!
to capture the belt from Randy Couture? an oldman who was on his way down since long long time? b...off dude!! we are all happy that this white pu...is gone! period!
Puta
Lol
Dude look at the comments... it's like you and 1 other hater who is trolling or is stupid enough to want him gone.
Enough with the "long goodbye" BS. He was a blip on the MMA radar screen. Why are some acting like this is some legend, like Couture or Fedor, retiring after a long a prosperous career?
It doesnt mean everyone at this site needs to come in and bash him like a bunch of 12 year olds either. Not one person here would last 2 minutes in the octagon with Brock, so everyone might try STFU for a change.
f....you!
id last two minutes for sure
so if you cant compete with him you dont have an opinion? that doesnt make any sense. the press is always critizicing and im sure they arent better than the guys they are critizicing
aww your all mad, with your brains, I'de be pissed too.
Brock was brought up to dang fast. Sure he won the belt but with his record, he should still fighting gate keepers. He has a solid wrestling base. But on the real, I don't think Brock would have it any other way. He didn't have to return to the cage after his illness but he did so props for that.
Thanks for the memories Brock.
I bet you haven't hit puberty & you're posting this dumb shit. GTFOH
uh..no, but I assume you clicked "Cool" in your post just now.
Tiny brains resort to filth. Obviously I said something you didnt like. Maybe my words conflicted with your juvenile hating agenda.
Hey Lesnar- See you later quitter.....that's what Lesnar is, a QUITTER. He could not handle the NFL, so he quit. And now he can't handle the UFC, so he again quit. Anything he does not succeed at immediately, he quits.
Go back to the phony ass WWE and collect your big checks like all those other money hungry 'roided out losers that call themselves "athletes".
@All the dumb ass haters here.
If you think that Brock was a phony, a bad fighter, all hype or any other stupid thing you want to troll with then think about this PLEASE because your stupidity and ignorance is hurting my brain.
Because Brock was destroyed by Velasquez and Overeem, who are both top 3 HWs and former champs of UFC and Strikeforce, the surely Velasquez went through 9 cans since Brock is deemed that because he lost to him, Big Nog must be a terrible, washed up, phony for losing to Velasquez worse than Brock. Also Werdum must have no skill in any department at all if he was beaten on the feet by Overeem, infact he refused to stand even when Brock would.
Just because Brock was stopped on the feet by two of the best strikers at HW doesn't mean he is a bad fighter. He had ZERO experience in striking before coming to MMA and in his second bloody fight took on Frank Mir, a good striker. In his 4th MMA fight he fought for the world championship against a legend, that is unheard of, it took Jones 14 god dman fights to win the belt and Brock did it in 4!!!
Also if you say anything about th Carwin fight just look at Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, it doesn't mean Silva is bad just means his weakness was exposed but he toughed it out and found a way to win, the same as Brock did.
It just gets me mad when keyboard warriors try to troll a man who has been on his deathbed twice in the last 3 years and has fought nothing but but top 5 competetion since entering the UFC. If you don't like his personality that's fine but if you don't respect his career then you don't respect MMA.
false
Theres a pattern here Keith just like in real life. The guys hating and biching are really little pus*es who cant stand up to anyone, Ive seen this crap a million times.
So he says behind his keyboard. You are stooping to their level when you resort to name calling on the 'net. Unless you're trying to be funny, you only look foolish (and as you say, cowardly), when you name-call on the 'net. I actually agree with you. Same with gaming- you'll have a bunch of pimple-faced spoiled brats who get on and say the N word over and over knowing that in real life they'd get KTFO.
So true
N word?...Naggers?
I wasnt referring to you Mere but you can take it however you like.
I know u weren't. I was actually agreeing with you. Kinda messed that up, sorry.
Just want to give Brock and congratulations and a farewall following his short but explosive and prosperous career. We've never heard of a man win the modern UFC title after 4 fights. I will always give him respect for fighting the top competetion there was and not ducking any opponent.
He also recieves a tip of the hat from me for coming back to the sport just for put competiveness, and that should be what it's all about (unless you need money for living), after two bouts with a life-threatening disease.
Thank you for the entertainment Brock and thanks even more for helping to expand MMA's fanbase and the general awareness of the UFC. You've done more for the sport than anyone will probably realise.
Good luck in whatever you do.
Yes he was Overrated, and most DEF overhyped by the UFC, but the fact is he was thrown right into the deep end when he was only an MMA baby. He had one 'warm up' pro fight on his debut, but then it was against top contenders and champions. Its like a pro boxer right after his debut fighting the likes of Mayweather, Pacquiao, Cotto etc So i give him total credit and respect for that. He had a short but amazing career in MMA in terms of what he achieved and the competition he faced. If only he was younger and given more time to adjust who knows what he could have been.
Gonna miss his jack links and jj sponsor logos
I
was never really a fan but good on him for giving it a try. he may have been fast tracked to the top but he did fight top competition
Lesnar received special treatment for his "superstar" status and paid the price. $400,000 a fight with no real experience is ridiculous and is case and point why he was there.... ratings. They say it's a sport but at the end of the day, it's entertainment. Dollar, dollar bills y'all! He didn't really earn the belt so in my eyes, he was never really the champ. Reem vs Jr. Is a fight between two men who earned their position and will decide the true HW champ!
Have to disagree with you there...
First let me say that i don't like Brock at all.
Yes, he was paid a ridiculous sums with no experience, but to say that he didn't earn the belt is wrong, man...
Or do you think that Cotoure LOST on purpose??!!!
Yes, they gave him the title shot way to early, but with the money they paid him they couldn't let him fight lower tier opponents either....
I don't like him, but i actually respect him...
Couture was 215lbs but your right
Love him or hate him, Brock Lesnar is, without a doubt, one of the biggest reasons that MMA is as popular as it is today. Every sports bar with the UFC on was standing-room-only last Friday night, whether it was to see Brock win or lose. Didn't matter, they just showed up. I was a Brock fan for a short while, and even though I do not think he was the best or most well-rounded fighter, he brought a bit of showmanship to the game and put a lot of people in the seats. He will be missed.
The most overrated fighter in mma history has finally left the scene, back when Brock went 2-1 in the UFC and someone become champion from that the UFC arguably didn't have a single of the top 5 fighters in the world and at the best 2 in the top 10 at HW. For some reason UFC fans (rather then MMA fans) seem to think that Randy could be HW champ while he in fact was a LHW was somehow a sign of how great Randy was and had nothing to do with how bad the UFC heavyweights were.
It is true that Brock brought a lot of new fans to MMA but that is also all that he has really accomplished in MMA.
Seriously people there is a reason that JDS was kept out of the title talk until after Brock had lost the belt.
I'm fan and always will be.
Love him or hate him, it still doesn't change the fact that he is still under contract with the UFC.
I think the UFC did not do Brock any favors in putting him in with Overreem for his first fight back. It would have serve Brock well to fight up and comers for his first fight back. In his first 8 fights he fought the likes of Randy Couture, Mir, Velasquez, Carwin and Overreem if you look at that list this guys are no push over at all..