In the history of the sport of MMA, there has never been a spectacle quite like Brock Lesnar.
The former UFC heavyweight champion has garnered interest from multiple fan bases predominantly due to his physical stature and two-year stint in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
When he made his UFC debut against Frank Mir in February 2008, the vast majority of MMA fans saw Lesnar as a circus act attempting to cash in on a big payday, but public opinion quickly changed after watching the 265-pound behemoth pummel Mir before succumbing to a knee bar.
After his loss to Mir, Lesnar finished out 2008 by defeating Heath Herring and topping the legendary Randy Couture for the heavyweight title.
He received a rematch with Mir in the main event of UFC 100. In convincing fashion, Lesnar picked up where he left off in their first meeting and punished Mir with ground-and-pound for two rounds before the TKO stoppage.
If there were any doubts about Lesnar, they were certainly cleared up after the Mir fight. Despite being a former WWE superstar, Lesnar proved himself as a reigning and defending UFC heavyweight champion.
The proof would continue at UFC 116, where Lesnar faced Shane Carwin in literally the biggest heavyweight bout in UFC history.
After a rough first round, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher rebounded in the second by securing a takedown and finishing with an arm triangle.
With his enormous size and wrestling prowess, an aura of invincibility began to form around Lesnar as his next opponent, Cain Velasquez, was subject to more doubt than the Bush administration.
Despite being the much smaller opponent, Velasquez tore Lesnar to pieces in a violent, one-round affair that crowned a new champion at UFC 121.
Nearly a year after the loss to Velasquez and major surgery for Lesnar’s second case of diverticulitis, fans are left to ponder about Lesnar’s future in the sport.
Will he ever return to form? Do people even care?
Contrary to the opinions of a select few, the curtains shrouding the spectacle that is Brock Lesnar are far from closing.
Despite nearly a yearlong hiatus, Lesnar is still the most talked-about fighter in all of MMA. It’s like he never left. His face is still plastered on the covers of magazines, and he still commands a good chunk of attention in the MMA media headlines.
As for a competitive future, some have been a bit hasty in writing Lesnar off. Even though he is 34 years of age and a former world champion, Lesnar is still a babe in the sport.
With only seven fights on his professional record, he has defeated three former world champions and tied the record for most consecutive heavyweight title defenses (2).
While most heavyweights are generally eased into facing elite-level opposition, Lesnar hadn’t even eclipsed five professional bouts before he was facing the likes of Couture, Mir, and Herring.
There is still plenty to like about what Lesnar brings to the table as a fighter. A former NCAA Division I Wrestling Champion, Lesnar is a gifted grappler with freakish conditioning.
As always, there is plenty to improve on, but with more experience, Lesnar will have the opportunity to shore up holes in his overall game.
Could that mean another run at the UFC title?
It’s going to be tough with monsters like Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos leading the division, but with continued improvement Lesnar should at least be able to sustain his status as a perennial contender in the ever-growing UFC heavyweight division.
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