Brock Lesnar to Return

The monster known colloquially as Brock Lesnar, and formally as the Wrestlebeast, has announced its return to the UFC.

All levity aside, Lesnar was in a really bad way when he was first diagnosed with diverticulosis, but no operation was necessary and he has been given a clean bill of health. On ESPN, Dana White announced that Lesnar’s return will see him face the winner of Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin, or the winner of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs Cain Velasquez if the winner of Mir/Carwin sustains an injury.

Lesnar could not intake enough nutrients given his affliction, and he was probably operating at just over half his true potential. Also, he was still 248 pounds at his lightest, and he is back up to 273 pounds now. That’s pretty incredible, and it’s a sign that his body naturally sits at that massive weight. Unfortunately, considering he was struggling to take in enough nutrients before, this could also mean he’ll get bigger and may end up having to cut a lot of weight. We’ll have to wait and see about that, though.

Now, let’s consider the implications of Brock’s return. First of all, he’s keeping his title, though Mir and Carwin will be fighting for an interim title. Secondly, Lesnar has acknowledged Frank Mir as his stalker, and he welcomes another fight with Frank. I think this is hubris, as it’s a dangerous fight for everyone, including the UFC. If Brock wins, Mir is out of title contention, but he’ll certainly be able to eliminate potential contenders. If Mir wins, there’s no way it’ll be the end of his fights with Lesnar. People will just claim that Lesnar wasn’t ready to come back into such a tough fight, and yet another rematch will be certain. Lesnar and Mir would be forever entwined, Lesnar raining down hammerfists while Mir works for a leglock.

Next, while Lesnar says the heavyweight division is getting nervous about his return, I actually think this sickness has robbed him of his mystique. Before, everyone feared whether he was beatable. Now there are several heavyweights considered capable of challenging him and maybe even defeating him. This is good news for the UFC, as now any challengers to the title will seem more legitimate. While an undefeatable fighting machine can be a good image for a champion, there are enough of those as it is. A human Brock Lesnar makes the heavyweight division look like it is full of legitimate challengers, which means better marketing, and a greater legacy for Lesnar if he beats them.

Still waiting for Strikeforce: Miami and I guess UFC 109 will be good too? I don’t know, I’m too excited for UFC 110, which is such a stacked card. Seriously, UFC 110 is ridiculous in terms of fanboy appeal. While the fights are kind of meaningless in terms of title contention, they’re all exciting on paper. Anyway, more news on upcoming events closer to the dates they’ll be held.