10 Things You Need To Know About Brock Lesnar's UFC 200 Return
Brock Lesnar returns to MMA but why?
The unthinkable has finally happened. The Beast is back... in the UFC!
Early Saturday, rumours began to swirl that seemed nearly impossible: the UFC was in negotiations with their former heavyweight champion and current WWE star Brock Lesnar for a match at July's UFC 200. There were any number of reasons why such a rumour would cause a chuckle, including the fact that the event is barely a month away, Lesnar being under contract to the WWE, and the fact that he closed the door on a return to MMA in 2015 when he re-signed with Vince McMahon and co.
Yet unlike any number of rumours surrounding Lesnar returning to the world of mixed martial arts, this one had some steam, helped in part by the one of the MMA world's most respected journalists, Ariel Helwani, breaking the story, citing multiple sources. Then, during Saturday's UFC 199 broadcast, a promo for the milestone UFC 200 aired. At the end was Brock Lesnar screaming "Can you see me now?"
Fans certainly will be seeing him, very very soon. It was completely unexpected, and a firestorm of questions immediately arose. Who will he face? How will he look? How did this all come to be?
Well, we've got (some) of the answers! Here are ten things you need to know about Brock Lesnar's UFC return!
Early Saturday, rumours began to swirl that seemed nearly impossible: the UFC was in negotiations with their former heavyweight champion and current WWE star Brock Lesnar for a match at July's UFC 200. There were any number of reasons why such a rumour would cause a chuckle, including the fact that the event is barely a month away, Lesnar being under contract to the WWE, and the fact that he closed the door on a return to MMA in 2015 when he re-signed with Vince McMahon and co.
Yet unlike any number of rumours surrounding Lesnar returning to the world of mixed martial arts, this one had some steam, helped in part by the one of the MMA world's most respected journalists, Ariel Helwani, breaking the story, citing multiple sources. Then, during Saturday's UFC 199 broadcast, a promo for the milestone UFC 200 aired. At the end was Brock Lesnar screaming "Can you see me now?"
Fans certainly will be seeing him, very very soon. It was completely unexpected, and a firestorm of questions immediately arose. Who will he face? How will he look? How did this all come to be?
Well, we've got (some) of the answers! Here are ten things you need to know about Brock Lesnar's UFC return!
10. WWE Has Little To Gain Here
Before we launch into any specifics of Brock Lesnar's UFC 200 fight, lets consider the WWE's perspective.
Lesnar has not been seen or heard much since this year's WrestleMania. Feeling was, it was about time he get back into the fray. Instead, the UFC goes and scoops the pro wrestling promotion for the biggest Lesnar-related story all year.
There's no doubt Lesnar is big news in the world of the WWE, but he's even bigger news in the world of professional sports. That's why he gets the attention he does on ESPN. That's why everyone is talking this morning. His work in the WWE maintains his status, but he wouldn't be where he is today without his run in the UFC.
Which makes returning to MMA the promotion huge news... but doesn't do much for the WWE. Unless you live under a rock, you already know that Lesnar is a virtual wrecking machine in Vince McMahon's promotion. You're already watching that product. The news that Lesnar is fighting at UFC 200 helps the UFC, but it doesn't do much for the WWE at all. If he wins, of course, there's an angle they can push, but were he to lose, which is a very real possibility after so much time away from the sport?
Well, that just devalues a character they like to bill as unstoppable.
Lesnar has not been seen or heard much since this year's WrestleMania. Feeling was, it was about time he get back into the fray. Instead, the UFC goes and scoops the pro wrestling promotion for the biggest Lesnar-related story all year.
There's no doubt Lesnar is big news in the world of the WWE, but he's even bigger news in the world of professional sports. That's why he gets the attention he does on ESPN. That's why everyone is talking this morning. His work in the WWE maintains his status, but he wouldn't be where he is today without his run in the UFC.
Which makes returning to MMA the promotion huge news... but doesn't do much for the WWE. Unless you live under a rock, you already know that Lesnar is a virtual wrecking machine in Vince McMahon's promotion. You're already watching that product. The news that Lesnar is fighting at UFC 200 helps the UFC, but it doesn't do much for the WWE at all. If he wins, of course, there's an angle they can push, but were he to lose, which is a very real possibility after so much time away from the sport?
Well, that just devalues a character they like to bill as unstoppable.