Rumors of a Brock Lesnar return to mixed martial arts are once again swirling. Yet it’s Bellator, not the UFC, where Lesnar should take his next fight.
There are few certainties in life. Death, taxes, and talk of Brock Lesnar returning to MMA when his WWE contract is up for renewal. And it’s that time of year again: WrestleMania time. And Lesnar contract renewal time. Yet one thing stands out more now than ever before, and that’s that the UFC is not the right fit for Brock Lesnar in 2018. Bellator MMA, however, very well may be.
Lesnar’s return at UFC 200 was one of the biggest surprises the MMA world had seen in years. That he beat Mark Hunt in the cage that night with a solid game plan, and even ate a few shots doing it, put a nice twist on what many felt was a cash grab. Then came the failed drug tests, and subsequently, the win was overturned to a No Contest. Lesnar went back into retirement and his part-time WWE gig (where he reigns as their Universal Champion).
Because of his drawing power, however, the idea of another fight for Lesnar is always a popular topic. Yet the UFC, where Lesnar would have to serve out the remainder of his suspension, and spend six months (six clean months) in the USADA testing pool, doesn’t make much sense for the former UFC heavyweight champion at this point.
The reasoning is simple: Lesnar, now in his forties, is not about to return to fighting full time. He’s not even coming back for a four or five fight deal. So a title run is immediately out of the question. A one-off shot against the winner of Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier would just further logjam the heavyweight division. A one-off fight against Jon Jones could work, but on paper, that fight doesn’t come off as all that exciting. The pair lack history, and Jones may not be available any time soon, dogged as he is with his own, recurrent USADA troubles.
That leaves fights with the likes of Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis, high risk, low reward ventures for the NCAA wrestling champion.
Yet Bellator MMA has all the right ingredients for a Lesnar return. If they could work out a deal.
By all accounts, Lesnar is essentially a free agent, so a fight with the Viacom-owned promotion is feasible. Were Viacom to open the purse strings for Lesnar, there’s numerous possibilities for big fights, either on Paramount, or even PPV.
The long-awaited showdown with the great Fedor Emelianenko would be one. ‘The Last Emperor’ currently has a date with Frank Mir at Bellator 198 in April, part of the promotion’s World Heavyweight Grand Prix. Depending on the outcome, he could be tied up for a while. Still, though it’s a fight that should have happened a decade ago, it’s still a fight that would sell. The pair are only a year apart in age, though Fedor has far more miles on him.
Then there’s the aforementioned Mir. A rubber match between the two is an easy sell. UFC 100 saw their grudge match in full swing, and with their career series even, a third fight would interest just about every MMA fan.
Also in Bellator: Bobby Lashley. Roy Nelson. Even Mirko Cro-Cop. The potential for big-money Lesnar fights is alive and well, with some of the bigger names in the weight class currently in Scott Coker’s domain.
No USADA, competitive fights given where Lesnar’s at in his career — it’s win-win for fans. Pride and loyalty may keep Lesnar in the UFC, but Bellator is really where he should have his sights.
