10 Best Brock Lesnar WWE Raw Moments
7. The Return - April 2 2012
Lesnar announced his UFC retirement immediately following his crushing first round TKO loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 on December 30th, 2011. It was Lesnar's return to the Octagon following a year on the sidelines, during which time he battled diverticulitis. With Lesnar now bowing out of caged combat, the world waited on his next move.
He had options, but the most logical (not to mention lucrative) one was a return to WWE. Lesnar left the company in March 2004 to pursue a career in the NFL and there had been bad blood on both sides, with lawsuits flying back and forth over the years. Never shy to express an opinion, Brock had been less than flattering when talking about his former employers in public.
Despite the acrimony, Lesnar agreed to return to WWE, who desperately needed star power. Making his triumphant return on the post-WrestleMania Raw on April 2nd, 2012, Lesnar received a truly thunderous ovation as he flattened John Cena with an F5 before angrily kicking away Big Match John's baseball cap.
The Beast was back in a big way.