Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar is set to make his return to the Octagon on December 30, when he faces former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
Today, it was announced that Lesnar is facing charges from a hunting trip that he took to Alberta, Canada in 2010.
Lesnar and another man, according to Sportsnet.ca, were cited for offenses related to the Alberta Fish and Wildlife Act.
The offenses that the duo were charged with were the alleged improper affixation of tags, spoilage of skin and edible flesh, and possession of a controlled animal.
In short, according to twincities.com, the pair failed to tag their game, left a mule deer carcass to rot and were in illegal possession of a deer. The maximum penalty for each charge is $50,000 and a year in prison.
The two were scheduled to appear in court in Medicine Hat on Thursday, December 15 to answer to the charges, but neither man showed for the hearing. As a result of the no shows, the case was moved to January 19, 2012.
At this point it appears that these charges will have no impact on Lesnar’s upcoming bout against Overeem other than to serve as a possible distraction in his training and preparation for the fight.
The fight will be Lesnar’s first since losing the UFC Heavyweight Title to Cain Velasquez on October 23, 2010.
Lesnar missed significant time after that loss due to his second bout of diverticulitis since joining the UFC.
The second occurrence resulted in Lesnar having to undergo surgery in May of this year.
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