Fans will look back on Brock Lesnar‘s career and wonder what could have been. This dominant fighter stormed out of the gates to turn the UFC into his personal playground. Unfortunately, his career was derailed by the crippling disease Diverticulitis, and that has cut short his once limitless potential.
Now Lesnar will join athletes like Gayle Sayers and Bo Jackson whose remarkable feats are remembered with fondness and awe, but are always followed with sentiments of what could have been.
Lesnar announced his retirement from the octagon following a loss to Alistair Overeem on Friday night, and that drew a close to a career of a man that not that long ago many thought would dominate UFC for years.
Lesnar’s UFC Career
Lesnar retires with just a 4-3 record in UFC, and none of those seven matches were against cupcake opponents.
He entered the UFC with just one MMA match under his belt, and his first UFC match he was faced with the daunting task of taking on Frank Mir.
Lesnar lost that match, but learned quickly, and just two fights later he was the UFC heavyweight champion after he defeated Randy Coture with a TKO in the second round.
The imposing fighter then had two successful title defenses, including a victorious rematch against Frank Mir.
Before his second title defense, Lesnar first began to suffer the effects of his Diverticulitis. The match was postponed, but he was able to come back and win the match against Shane Carwin.
That would be his last victory, as his disease began to take its toll, and ultimately required surgery.
Brock’s Legacy
Lesnar was far from a cheap gimmick in the ilk of Bob Sapp or Kimbo Slice. He was a skilled wrestler and a fierce puncher.
At the peak of his abilities, he was unstoppable. His massive size and technique left him well-equipped to handle any style or fighter.
Lesnar entered the UFC as a raw wrestler. However, he quickly developed his stand-up fighting, and this was on vivid display as he TKO’d Coture and Mir with punches.
Brock was a quick learner with supreme athletic gifts. Had he not been slowed by illness, he would have been as complete and dominant a fighter as MMA has ever seen.
Unfortunately, that career was derailed by his disease, and fans are left to wonder what could have been while recalling the brief moments of his utter dominance.
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