Brock Lesnar may be a former UFC champion, but according to some, he didn’t do enough during his MMA career to cement a legacy.
In a phone interview with The Sports Courier’s Fred Richani, Roy “Big Country” Nelson briefly spoke on the legacy of the former WWE pro wrestler-turned-MMA superstar.
“I didn’t know he had a legacy in MMA,” said Nelson. “I think you have at least, we’ll say 10 fights, I think to have a legacy.”
After losing to Alistair Overeem in December 2011, Lesnar retired from MMA with only eight fights to his name. It was a relatively short career that certainly didn’t come without substance.
A year after his professional debut at “Dynamite!! USA,” Lesnar was already competing against Randy Couture for the UFC heavyweight title. He defeated the UFC Hall of Famer and went on to put forth successful title defenses against Frank Mir and Shane Carwin.
The slippery slope immediately followed in back-to-back losses to Cain Velasquez and Overeem.
Outside of the losses, the biggest reason behind Lesnar deciding to hang up his MMA gloves likely had to do with his reoccurring illness.
The Minnesota native was first diagnosed for having diverticulitis, an intestinal disorder, after his title defense against Mir. He was forced to undergo a major surgery that kept him out of action for nearly a year.
Considering the seriousness of the illness, an interim title was put in place, and the rumor mill was buzzing about the possibility of Lesnar retiring.
With doubt lingering, Lesnar managed to rise up and make his return at UFC 116, where he submitted Carwin in the second round to retain his UFC title. It was truly an inspirational victory that showcased a tremendous amount of grit and toughness.
Unfortunately for Lesnar, the illness reared its ugly head again after he lost his title to Velasquez. The retirement talk was amplified following the second surgery, after it was announced that doctors had removed a 12-inch piece of Lesnar’s colon.
Still, Lesnar defied the odds and stepped into the octagon against Overeem, who is widely considered one of the top three best heavyweights in the world.
“This is the last time you’ll see me in the octagon,” Lesnar told UFC commentator Joe Rogan after the loss. “I’ve had a really difficult couple of years with my disease, and I’m going to officially say tonight is the last time.”
Is there a particular number of fights a fighter must achieve before earning a legacy, or should quality be given consideration over quantity?
Some will side with the latter knowing that there are fighters out there with years of experience who will never amount to Lesnar’s success.
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