WWE star Brock Lesnar still undecided on future after successful UFC return
Even after turning in a stellar performance Saturday night in his comeback fight following more than four years away from competition, Brock Lesnar still has no idea if he wants to do it again.
He is certain of who is going to make the decision, though.
“Let’s get one thing clear,” he said during the postfight news conference for his unanimous decision victory over Mark Hunt on the UFC 200 card at T-Mobile Arena. “Brock Lesnar does what Brock Lesnar wants to do.”
That’s a pretty clear statement that he won’t allow his contract status with the WWE impact whether he will take another UFC fight or even fully commit to a comeback and a possible run at the heavyweight belt he held from 2008 to 2010.
Lesnar is scheduled to compete with the WWE at “SummerSlam” in August. His plans beyond that date are anyone’s guess.
“I had one hell of a time tonight and I enjoyed myself so we’ll see what happens,” he said. “It’s really way too soon.
“I was excited to be in there,” he added. “Mark knocked the dust off me and away we went. I haven’t had that much fun in a long time.”
He also proved he’s more than capable of competing with the top contenders in the UFC again.
Lesnar made the return to real fighting because he had lingering feelings that he could have accomplished much more in the UFC had he not been stricken with diverticulitis, which weakened his body and made training extremely difficult.
“My prior training camps five years ago were pretty depressing,” he said. “I’d train for a couple days and take five days off. Train for three days and take a week off. I had 12 inches of my colon removed and jumped back in the octagon three months later.
“I mean who does that (expletive)?”
Lesnar just couldn’t handle having walked away from the UFC after back-to-back losses and not knowing if he was still an elite fighter when healthy.
Lesnar, who turns 39 on Tuesday, left the arena with his head held high Saturday night.
“I’ve been gone for five years and stepped into the octagon tonight with a guy ranked No. 8 in the world,” Lesnar said. “You can write what you want to write, but I think I’m the toughest son of a (expletive) in the world and I’m top 10 in the division. It puts me right in the game. If I want to make that decision to keep fighting, I will.”
One of the biggest questions Lesnar answered during the fight with Hunt was whether he had the ability to take a punch.
The two losses that triggered his exit from the UFC both came by first-round knockout.
It looked like a classic example of a big, bad bully that would shrink back to the corner as soon as he was punched in the nose.
Hunt, known as one of the hardest hitters in the organization, never really squared up Lesnar. He did land some shots in the second round, the one frame when Lesnar wasn’t able to take him down and control the action on the mat.
Lesnar’s face showed the damage, but he took pride in proving his naysayers wrong.
“I don’t know if they were his best shots or not. I felt them,” Lesnar said. “The mystery’s gone. I guess I can take a shot. I just stuck to the game plan. I took some good shots. I took him down. It was the wrestler against the power hitter. He never knocked the (expletive) out of me and here I am.”
Where he was on Saturday was back in the UFC — at least for one night.
Should he choose to commit to chasing the belt, Lesnar warned against counting him out.
“I believe any man can do whatever he wants if he puts his mind to it,” he said. “I believe anything’s possible.”
Even if he chooses to never fight again, Lesnar can probably rest easier with the decision this time.
“When i decided to make this comeback, it was a hard decision,” he said. “I’ve been gone a long time and I’m glad I did it. It goes for everyone out there, if you don’t stick your neck out, you can’t get ahead. I’ve never been afraid to stick my neck out.”
That big neck is one that the rest of the UFC heavyweight division may soon face once again.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj
