8 Implications Of Brock Lesnar Returning To UFC
Vince McMahon had best get the chequebook out...
One year removed from his last mixed martial arts fight, Brock Lesnar is reportedly eyeing up a UFC return.
The current WWE Universal Champion has supposedly re-entered himself into the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's testing pool so that he may serve the final six months of a year-long suspension incurred after failing a pre-UFC 200 drug test. If true, Lesnar should be free to compete in MMA from December onward, and there's talk that he's already eyeing a future away from his current employers.
'The Beast Incarnate' has apparently told WWE officials that he won't be renewing his current contract, which expires after WrestleMania 34. There's every chance that Lesnar is just using this as leverage for future WWE contract negotiations, but there'll be huge implications for all involved if he decides to jump ship.
A proven draw in both sports, Brock has WWE bent over a barrel. If they can't meet his demands, he knows the UFC would love to have him back, and this gives him all the power. His decision could very well change the face of both sports over the next 12 months and beyond, so let's take a look at the potential consequences for WWE, the UFC, and Lesnar himself.
8. A Shadow Over Paul Heyman's Future
Paul Heyman is one of professional wrestling’s greatest ever managers. Sure, his ‘Advocate’ spiel can be repetitive, but he’s the best talker in the business. When Heyman’s in the zone, nobody’s more compelling, and it’s hard to imagine Lesnar achieving half his success without the former ECW figurehead by his side.
He’s an integral part of ‘The Beast Incarnate’ act, but what happens to Heyman if Lesnar goes? Paul signed a new deal with the company last summer, but there’s a strong chance WWE could cut him loose, as him and Brock almost feel like a package deal these days.
This would be a huge waste, and there’s no reason Heyman couldn’t stick around to help other wrestlers get over after Brock’s WWE departure. His services bring no guarantee of success, but Cesaro and Curtis Axel’s failings with Paul as their manager had little to do with Heyman himself, and if booked correctly, there’s not a wrestler in the business he couldn’t enhance.
Heyman is a great asset, but given that Lesnar reportedly played a huge role in WWE’s decision to re-sign him last year, there’s a strong chance they’d let him walk. A shame, but it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve let a top performer slip through their fingers.