Lesnar began his MMA career forHero's in 2007, and signed with the UFC in 2008. He quickly won theUFC Heavyweight Championship, but was sidelined withdiverticulitis in 2009. Onhis return in 2010, Lesnar defeatedInterim UFC Heavyweight ChampionShane Carwin to unify the heavyweight championships and become the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion. After a couple of losses and further struggles with diverticulitis,[13] Lesnar retired from MMA in 2011.[14] He returned atUFC 200 in 2016 to defeatMark Hunt, but his victory was overturned to a no-contest after he tested positive for a banned substance on UFC's anti-doping policy. He then retired from MMA for the second time in 2017. A box office sensation, he competed in some of the bestselling pay-per-viewevents in promotion history, including headliningUFC 91,UFC 100,UFC 116 andUFC 121. He also co-headlinedUFC 200, briefly being the main headliner before that spot was given toAmanda Nunes vs.Miesha Tate.[15]
Early life
Brock Edward Lesnar[16][17] was born inWebster, South Dakota, on July 12, 1977,[1][18][19] the son of Stephanie and Richard Lesnar.[19] Even though his surname is Slovenian, he is ofPolish descent,[20] and grew up on his parents' dairy farm in Webster.[21] He has two older brothers named Troy and Chad, and a younger sister named Brandi.[19] At the age of 17, he joined theArmy National Guard and was assigned to an office job after hisred–green colorblindness was deemed hazardous to his desire to work with explosives.[19][22] He was discharged after failing a computer typing test and later worked for a construction company.[19]
Amateur wrestling
Lesnar attended Webster High School, playingfootball[19] and competing inwrestling, placing third in the state championships his senior year.[23] He then went toBismarck State College where in 1997, his freshman year, he placed 5th in the 275 lb. division of theNational Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). In 1998, his sophomore year, he won the 275 lb championship.[1][24] After two years at Bismarck State College, Lesnar transferred to theUniversity of Minnesota on a wrestling scholarship, where he was roommates with future WWE colleagueShelton Benjamin, who was also his assistant coach.[19]
Lesnar won the 2000National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I heavyweight wrestling championship his senior year after being the runner-up toStephen Neal the year prior. He finished his amateur career as a two-time NJCAAAll-American, the 1998 NJCAA Heavyweight Champion, two-time NCAA All-American, two-timeBig Ten Conference Champion and the 2000 NCAA Heavyweight Champion, with a record of 106–5 overall in four years of college.[25]
Brock Lesnar made his televised WWE debut in March 2002, immediately portrayed as a dominant force under the guidance of Paul Heyman.[29][30] After winning theKing of the Ring tournament that June,[31] Lesnar earned aWWE Undisputed Championship opportunity and defeatedThe Rock atSummerSlam, becoming the youngest WWE Champion in history at age 25.[32] His win also marked one of the fastest ascents to the title, occurring just 126 days after his debut.[33]
Lesnar's initial title reign included rivalries withThe Undertaker, andBig Show. He retained the championship against The Undertaker via double disqualification atUnforgiven, and in aHell in a Cell match atNo Mercy,[34] but lost the title to Big Show atSurvivor Series following interference from Heyman, in a storyline betrayal that marked Lesnar's first televisedpinfall loss and his transition to afan-favorite character.[35] AtRoyal Rumble in January 2003, Lesnar defeated Big Show to enter theRumble match, which he won by last eliminating The Undertaker, earning a title shot atWrestleMania XIX.[35]
At WrestleMania, Lesnar defeatedKurt Angle to win the WWE Championship for a second time. During the match, Lesnar attempted ashooting star press, which resulted in a legitimate concussion. He defended the title againstJohn Cena atBacklash, and against Big Show in astretcher match atJudgment Day.[36] He faced Big Show again on an episode ofSmackDown! in June, during which asuperplex by Lesnar caused the ring to collapse.[37]
Angle returned later in the year, leading to a feud with Lesnar. The rivalry culminated atVengeance, where Lesnar lost the WWE Championship to Angle in atriple threat match also involving Big Show. Lesnar turnedheel shortly after, aligning himself withVince McMahon.[38] He failed to regain the title atSummerSlam,[39] but defeated Angle in a 60-minuteiron man match on the September 18 episode ofSmackDown!, winning five falls to four to reclaim the championship.[40]
In late 2003, Lesnar began a cross-brand feud withGoldberg, who interrupted a backstage interview at Survivor Series.[42] He later retained the WWE Championship againstHardcore Holly atRoyal Rumble.[43] The rivalry with Goldberg escalated when Lesnar interfered in the Royal Rumble match, costing Goldberg a chance at victory.[42] AtNo Way Out, Goldberg retaliated by attacking Lesnar during his title defense againstEddie Guerrero, leading to Lesnar's loss and the end of his championship reign.[44]
Lesnar faced Goldberg atWrestleMania XX, withStone Cold Steve Austin serving as special guest referee. The match was met with a hostile crowd response, as both men were widely reported to be leaving the company.[45][46] Goldberg won the bout, and both he and Lesnar were givenStone Cold Stunners afterward.[46] Lesnar officially left WWE after WrestleMania, later citing burnout, injuries, creative dissatisfaction, and the travel schedule as reasons for his departure.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling / Inoki Genome Federation (2005–2007)
After leaving professional football, Lesnar returned to wrestling in 2005 by debuting inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). On October 8, he won theIWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first bout, defeatingKazuyuki Fujita andMasahiro Chono in athree-way match at theTokyo Dome.[47] Lesnar used the nameThe Verdict for his finishing move—previously known as theF-5—as a reference to ongoing legal disputes with WWE, who unsuccessfully sought to prevent him from competing in sports and entertainment elsewhere.[48][49]
Lesnar defended the IWGP title against several opponents, includingShinsuke Nakamura at theJanuary 4, 2006 Tokyo Dome event,[50]Akebono in March,[51] andGiant Bernard in May.[52] However, in July 2006, NJPW stripped Lesnar of the championship, citing visa issues that prevented him from returning to defend it. Despite this, Lesnar retained physical possession of the belt for nearly a year.[53]
Lesnar broke The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak in 2014.
Lesnar returned to WWE on the April 2, 2012, episode ofRaw, confrontingJohn Cena and reestablishing himself as a villainous figure.[55][56] He was presented as a destructive force brought in to "legitimize" WWE, leading to a match against Cena atExtreme Rules, where Lesnar was defeated despite dominating much of the contest.[57]
Shortly afterward, Lesnar entered a storyline dispute with WWE COOTriple H over contractual demands, leading to a physical altercation that resulted in akayfabe arm injury to Triple H.[58][59]Paul Heyman returned as Lesnar's legal representative, escalating the angle with a lawsuit and Lesnar's declared departure.[58][60] The feud culminated atSummerSlam, where Lesnar defeated Triple H by submission.[61][62] The following night onRaw, it was announced that Lesnar had seemingly quit WWE.[63][64]
He returned on the January 28, 2013, episode ofRaw, attacking WWE chairmanVince McMahon,[65] resulting in a scripted pelvic injury.[66] A confrontation with Triple H reignited their rivalry,[67] leading to a match atWrestleMania 29, where Lesnar was defeated in aNo Holds Barred match with Triple H's career at stake.[68][69] The feud concluded atExtreme Rules, where Lesnar won their final encounter inside asteel cage.[70]
In mid-2013, Lesnar began a feud withCM Punk after attacking him on the June 17 episode ofRaw,[71] following tension between Punk and Paul Heyman. After Heyman turned on Punk atMoney in the Bank,[72] the rivalry escalated, leading to a no disqualification match atSummerSlam, where Lesnar defeated Punk.[73]
Lesnar returned on the December 30 episode ofRaw, positioning himself as a contender for theWWE World Heavyweight Championship.[74] After attackingMark Henry and engaging in a brief feud withBig Show,[75][76] which ended in a dominant win at theRoyal Rumble,[77] Lesnar was granted an open contract for a match atWrestleMania XXX. On the February 24 episode ofRaw,The Undertaker returned and accepted the challenge, setting up their match for the event.[78] At WrestleMania on April 6, Lesnar defeated The Undertaker, ending his21–0 undefeated streak. The result received widespread media attention and is often cited as one of the most shocking moments in WWE history.[79]
WWE World Heavyweight Champion (2014–2015)
Lesnar defending his world championship against Cena at Night of Champions in September 2014
AtSummerSlam on August 17, Lesnar defeated John Cena to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in dominant fashion, delivering sixteensuplexes and twoF-5s with little offense from Cena.[80] In their rematch atNight of Champions, Lesnar retained the title afterSeth Rollins interfered, causing a disqualification.[81] Rollins later aligned withThe Authority and was added to Lesnar and Cena's title match at theRoyal Rumble on January 25, 2015,[82] which Lesnar won.[83]
Lesnar's next challenger wasRoman Reigns, who won theRoyal Rumble match to earn a title shot atWrestleMania 31.[84] During their match at the WrestleMania main event, Lesnar dominated early and famously uttered "Suplex City, bitch!", which evolved into a popular catchphrase. Midway through the bout, Rollins cashed in hisMoney in the Bank contract, turning it into atriple threat. Rollins pinned Reigns to win the title.[85] The following night onRaw, Lesnar attempted to invoke his rematch clause but attacked announcers and a cameraman after being denied, leading to a storyline suspension.[86]
Lesnar returned on the June 15 episode ofRaw and was named the number one contender for Rollins's title atBattleground.[87][88] On July 4, he appeared at WWE'sThe Beast in the East special in Tokyo, defeatingKofi Kingston.[89] At Battleground, Lesnar appeared poised to win the title before The Undertaker interfered, resulting in a disqualification and continuing their unresolved feud.[90]
The following night onRaw, The Undertaker explained that he had attacked Lesnar not for ending his WrestleMania streak, but rather for Lesnar allowing Heyman to constantly taunt him about it, which led to the two brawling throughout the arena and a WrestleMania rematch being scheduled forSummerSlam on August 23,[91] where The Undertaker controversially defeated Lesnar. The timekeeper rang the bell as The Undertaker had supposedly submitted to Lesnar's Kimura lock, though the referee had not seen any submission. In the ensuing confusion, The Undertaker hit Lesnar with alow blow and applied hisHell's Gate submission hold, in which Lesnar passed out.[92] The following night onRaw, Lesnar and Heyman challenged The Undertaker to an immediate rematch, only to be confronted byBo Dallas (who mocked Lesnar about his defeat); Lesnar responded with five German suplexes and anF-5.[93]
AtHell in a Cell on October 25, Lesnar defeated The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match after a low blow andF-5 onto the exposed ring floor, ending their feud.[94][95] The match was later voted "Match of the Year" during the2015Slammy Awards.[96]
On the January 11, 2016, episode ofRaw, Lesnar returned, attacking The New Day,The League of Nations (Sheamus,King Barrett,Rusev andAlberto Del Rio) andKevin Owens, before performing anF-5 on Roman Reigns.[97] The following week onRaw, he brawled with Reigns until they were attacked byThe Wyatt Family.[98] At theRoyal Rumble on January 24, Lesnar was the 23rd entrant, eliminatingJack Swagger and The Wyatt Family minus Bray Wyatt before being eliminated by the Wyatt Family members he had eliminated first. He later defeated Wyatt andLuke Harper in a two-on-one handicap at theRoad Block pay-per-view event.[99]
AtFastlane on February 21, Lesnar lost a triple threat match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship opportunity atWrestleMania 32, where Reigns pinnedDean Ambrose.[100] The following night onRaw, Lesnar attacked Ambrose in the parking lot as he was arriving at the arena. ANo Holds BarredStreet Fight match was set between them atWrestleMania 32 on April 3,[101] which Lesnar won.[102]
On the July 7 episode ofSmackDown, Lesnar was revealed as the returningRandy Orton's opponent forSummerSlam.[103] Two days later on July 9, WWE allowed Lesnar to have a one-off fight forUFC 200. Lesnar failed two of his drug tests for this fight but was not suspended by WWE because he is not a full-time performer.[104] On July 19 at the2016 WWE draft, Lesnar was the #5 draft pick for the Raw brand.[105] Reports claimed that he would have been #1 had he not failed his UFC drug tests.[106] Orton was drafted to SmackDown, thus making their match an interbrand match, while WWE billed their face-off as a match fifteen years in the making.[107] Along with Heyman, Lesnar made his return toRaw on August 1 (his first appearance on WWE programming since WrestleMania 32), but during his segment Orton appeared and attacked Lesnar with anRKO.[108] Lesnar then attacked Orton during his match the following night onSmackDown Live, performing anF-5 on Orton.[109] At SummerSlam on August 21, Lesnar defeated Orton bytechnical knockout, leaving Orton with a forehead wound which required ten staples.[110] He then hit SmackDown CommissionerShane McMahon with anF-5.[111] The end made many people believe Lesnar had goneoff script due to the severity of Orton's head wound,[112][113][114] out of whichVince McMahon confirmed that the ending was planned.[115] Lesnar was later storyline fined $500 for delivering anF-5 to Shane McMahon and his assault on Orton.[116]
On the October 10 episode ofRaw, Heyman, on Lesnar's behalf, challengedGoldberg to a fight after the pair had been feuding for several months through social media and during promotional work for theWWE 2K17 video game, which featured Lesnar as the cover star and Goldberg as the pre-order bonus.[117] Heyman stated that Goldberg was the one blemish on Lesnar's WWE career, as Goldberg had defeated Lesnar at WrestleMania XX in 2004.[118] On the October 17 episode ofRaw, Goldberg returned to WWE after a twelve-year absence and accepted Lesnar's request for a fight with their match later scheduled forSurvivor Series.[119][120] On the finalRaw before Survivor Series, Lesnar and Goldberg had a confrontation for the first time in twelve years, resulting in a brawl with security after Heyman insulted Goldberg's family.[121] On November 20 at Survivor Series, Lesnar quickly lost to Goldberg in 1 minute and 26 seconds,[122][123] marking the first time in three years that Lesnar was pinned.[124]
At the2017 Royal Rumble match on January 29, Lesnar was quickly eliminated by Goldberg.[125] Following that, he challenged Goldberg to a match atWrestleMania 33.[126] After Goldberg won theWWE Universal Championship atFastlane on March 5, their bout was made a title match.[127] On April 2 at WrestleMania, Lesnar defeated Goldberg to win the Universal Championship, marking his fifth world title win in WWE.[128]
After several weeks of feuding, Lesnar's first title defense came at theinauguralGreat Balls of Fire event on July 9, 2017, where he successfully retained againstSamoa Joe, before defeating him a second time for the title at a house show.
On the July 31 episode ofRaw, Lesnar was scheduled to defend his title in afatal four-way match atSummerSlam against Samoa Joe,Roman Reigns andBraun Strowman. Lesnar and Heyman stated that both would leave WWE should Lesnar lose the championship in the match.[129] At SummerSlam on August 20, Lesnar retained the title by pinning Reigns.[130] The next night onRaw, Lesnar was attacked by Strowman. The subsequent title match atNo Mercy on September 24 was won by Lesnar.[131] Lesnar then defeatedWWE ChampionAJ Styles in an interbrand champion vs. champion non-title match atSurvivor Series on November 19. His next title defense was scheduled for theRoyal Rumble on January 28, 2018, where he successfully defended the title in a triple threat match against Strowman andKane. Lesnar then re-ignited his feud with Roman Reigns, who won theElimination Chamber match atElimination Chamber on February 25 to become the number one contender to Lesnar's title atWrestleMania 34.[132] At WrestleMania on April 8, Lesnar pinned Reigns to retain the title in the main event.[133] Rumors arose that Lesnar would leave WWE and rejoin the UFC.[134] On April 9, Lesnar re-signed with WWE.[135] At theGreatest Royal Rumble pay-per-view on April 27, he again defeated Reigns in asteel cage when Reigns speared Lesnar through the cage wall. As Lesnar escaped the cage first, he was declared the winner.[136]
After the Greatest Royal Rumble, Lesnar was absent from WWE television for nearly three months. AtExtreme Rules on July 15, Raw General Manager Kurt Angle threatened to strip Lesnar of the Universal Championship if he did not show up toRaw the following night.[137] The following night onRaw, Heyman agreed that Lesnar would defend his title atSummerSlam; Reigns became the number one contender later that same night.[138] On the July 30 episode ofRaw, Lesnar was at the arena but refused to appear in the ring. Angle threatened to fire Heyman if he could not persuade Lesnar to come to the ring. Throughout the broadcast, Heyman's attempts were unsuccessful. At the end of the show, after Angle had fired him, Lesnar appeared to attack Angle and choke Heyman.[139] Two weeks later, the dissension between Lesnar and Heyman was revealed to be just a ruse when Lesnar returning on the August 13 episode ofRaw to attack Reigns.[140] At SummerSlam on August 19, Strowman was at ringside ready to cash in his Money in the Bank contract on the winner. Lesnar incapacitated Strowman, allowing Reigns to capitalize on the distracted Lesnar and win the Universal Championship, ending Lesnar's title reign at 504 days. As of 2018, the reign was the sixth-longest world championship reign in WWE history and the longest since 1988.[141][142]
World championship reigns and first retirement (2018–2020)
Lesnar returned atHell in a Cell on September 16, interrupting the Hell in a Cell match between defending Universal Champion Reigns and Braun Strowman, kicking in the door and attacking both men, thus rendering the match a no-contest and costing Strowman his Money in the Bank cash-in match.[143] The next night onRaw, Acting General ManagerBaron Corbin scheduled Reigns to defend the Universal Championship in a triple threat match against Lesnar and Strowman atCrown Jewel on November 2.[144] After Reigns relinquished the title due to a legitimateleukemia relapse, the match was changed to a singles match between Lesnar and Strowman for the vacant title.[145] At Crown Jewel, Lesnar defeated Strowman inthree minutes to become the first two-time Universal Champion, thanks to a pre-match attack from Corbin.[146]
After his title win, Lesnar was scheduled to face WWE Champion AJ Styles atSurvivor Series in another champion vs. champion non-title match. Five days before, Styles lost the WWE Championship toDaniel Bryan onSmackDown. At Survivor Series on November 18, Lesnar overcame a late rally from Bryan to defeat him.[147] Lesnar then successfully defended the title againstFinn Bálor via submission at theRoyal Rumble on January 27, 2019.[148] The next night onRaw, Lesnar attacked2019 Royal Rumble match winnerSeth Rollins with six F-5s, setting up a title match forWrestleMania 35.[149] At WrestleMania on April 7, Lesnar attacked Rollins before the match. Rollins then attacked Lesnar with a low blow while the referee was down and pinned Lesnar, ending his second reign as Universal Champion at 156 days.[150]
Lesnar won theMoney in the Bank ladder match at thenamesake event on May 19, which he entered as a surprise participant towards the end of the match.[151] After failing an attempt to cash-in on Rollins atSuper ShowDown on June 7, Lesnar successfully cashed in his contract to win the Universal Championship from Rollins atExtreme Rules on July 14.[152] AtSummerSlam on August 11, Lesnar lost the title back to Rollins, ending his third title reign at 28 days.[153]
Lesnar and Heyman returned on the September 17 episode ofSmackDown to challengeKofi Kingston for the WWE Championship. Kingston accepted and Lesnar proceeded toF-5 him.[154] OnSmackDown's 20th Anniversary on October 4, Lesnar quickly defeated Kingston in about eight seconds to win his fifth WWE Championship;[155] this was Lesnar's first match onSmackDown in 15 years. After his victory, Lesnar was attacked by former UFC opponentCain Velasquez, making his WWE debut.[156] Lesnar was then scheduled to defend the WWE Championship against Velasquez atCrown Jewel on October 31.[157] During the2019 draft, Lesnar was drafted toSmackDown.[158] At the Crown Jewel event, Lesnar defeated Velasquez in under five minutes via submission with the Kimura Lock. After the match,Rey Mysterio attacked Lesnar with a chair.[159] On the November 1 episode ofSmackDown, Lesnar and Heyman quit the brand in order to go after Mysterio, who had been drafted to Raw, thus transferring to Raw with the WWE Championship.[160] This led to Mysterio challenging Lesnar for the WWE Championship atSurvivor Series on November 24, which was made official[161] as aNo Holds Barred match,[162] where Lesnar retained, despite Mysterio's son,Dominik's attempt to aid Mysterio during the match.[163]
Lesnar returned on the January 6, 2020, episode ofRaw to declare that no one deserved an opportunity at the WWE Championship at theRoyal Rumble, so instead he would enter the Royal Rumble match as entrant number one.[164] At the Royal Rumble on January 26, Lesnar eliminated the first thirteen competitors he faced, tying the record for most eliminations in a Royal Rumble match, before being eliminated byDrew McIntyre, who won the match.[165] After retaining the championship againstRicochet atSuper ShowDown on February 27,[166] Lesnar ultimately lost the WWE Championship to McIntyre in the main event ofWrestleMania 36 Part 2 (which was taped on March 25–26 and aired on April 5).[167] This was his final appearance until 2021 – it was later reported by several sources that Lesnar was not under contract with WWE after the match.[168][169][170] Lesnar confirmed in March 2022 that he had initially retired from professional wrestling after WrestleMania 36, until deciding to return in 2021.[171]
Second return and various feuds (2021–2023)
Lesnar, now sporting a cowboy/farmer look with a beard and ponytail, returned as a face atSummerSlam[172] and faced Reigns for the WWE Universal title atCrown Jewel, which Lesnar lost.[173] On the December 3 episode ofSmackDown, it was announced that Lesnar would once again face Reigns for the title, this time at theDay 1 event,[174] but the match was canceled after Reigns contractedCOVID-19, and Lesnar was instead added to Raw's WWE Championship match at the event, winning the title.[175]
His title reign ended 29 days later atRoyal Rumble, losing it to Lashley. However, Lesnar won the Royal Rumble match.[176] Lesnar regained the WWE Championship atElimination Chamber and challenged Reigns for the Universal Championship atWrestleMania 38 in atitle unificationWinner Takes All match.[177] Lesnar lost the match at the event.[178] On the June 17 episode ofSmackDown, Lesnar once again returned, renewing his rivalry with Reigns.[179] Lesnar faced Reigns in aLast Man Standing match for the title atSummerSlam, where Lesnar failed to beat Reigns for the title, ending their feud.[180]
After Lesnar returned in October 2022, he feuded withBobby Lashley.[181] Lesnar defeated Lashley atCrown Jewel,[182] and caused Lashley to lose his United States Championship onRaw Is XXX.[183] AtElimination Chamber on February 18, Lesnar lost to Lashley by disqualification after he hit Lashley with a low blow and attacked both the referee and Lashley, ending their feud.[184] AtWrestleMania 39, he defeatedOmos.[185] After WrestleMania, Lesnar turned heel and feuded withCody Rhodes.[186] Lesnar would lose against Rhodes atBacklash,[187] defeated Rhodes atNight of Champions by submission,[188] and lost to Rhodes again atSummerSlam to end their feud.[189]
According to several reports, Lesnar was scheduled to make his return to WWE at the 2024Royal Rumble event as a participant in theRoyal Rumble match. During the match, he would have been eliminated byDominik Mysterio, as part of the build to a match against Mysterio atElimination Chamber: Perth.[190] However, a lawsuit was filed a few days before the Royal Rumble by Janel Grant, a former employee atWWE global headquarters between 2019 and 2022. Grant alleged that WWE co-founderVince McMahon had coerced her into a sexual relationship and, along with WWE executiveJohn Laurinaitis and an unnamed WWE wrestler "who was also a former UFC fighter",sexually trafficked her and repeatedly sexually assaulted her in 2020 and 2021. The unnamed talent was identified byThe Wall Street Journal as Lesnar;[191] Grant explicitly named Lesnar as the UFC/WWE talent in question when she amended her complaint in January 2025.[192] As a result of the lawsuit, he was removed from the Royal Rumble and replaced byBron Breakker.[193] It was later reported that he was removed from WWE's creative plans ahead of theirWrestleMania XL event, despite originally being planned to have a match againstWWE Intercontinental ChampionGunther at the event.[194] In February, he was removed from theWWE SuperCard video game.[195] He would also be removed from the cover ofWWE 2K24's "40 Years of WrestleMania" edition, as well as the playable roster, only being accessible through the game's Showcase Mode.[196][197] He was also removed from the introduction video of WWE's weekly programming, withLA Knight replacing him.[198]
Return from hiatus (2025–present)
After a two-year absence, on the second night ofSummerSlam on August 3, 2025, and despite the Grant lawsuit remaining active, Lesnar made a surprise return after the main event, attacking John Cena with an F-5, following Cena's loss to Cody Rhodes.[199] In his return match, he would defeat Cena atWrestlepalooza on September 20.[200]
Since Lesnar's debut, he was portrayed as a powerhouse athlete. He is often called by his nickname "The Beast Incarnate" or simply "The Beast". During his initial run when he was consistently main-eventing, WWE was in what is labeled by the company and fans as the "Ruthless Aggression Era". His go-tofinishing maneuver for his entire career has been afireman's carry facebuster[201] known as theF-5 (orThe Verdict when he wrestled outside of WWE).[202][203] After his return in 2012, Lesnar focused on an MMA-oriented gimmick, sporting MMA gloves during his matches and adding theKimura lock as a submission hold.[204][205] Lesnar is also known for performing severalsuplexes (especiallyGerman suplexes) on his rivals, with these often being described as the opponent being taken to "Suplex City",[206] named after an ad-lib Lesnar delivered toRoman Reigns during theirWrestleMania 31 match.[207] Lesnar has been managed byPaul Heyman for the majority of his WWE career with Heyman being Lesnar's mouthpiece for storylines and feuds.
Throughout the second half of the 2010s, Lesnar began to receive an increasing amount of criticism for his character and performances. Many reporters thought his Suplex City character "jumped the shark" and his matches had "become formulaic".[208][209] He was largely criticized due to his absences from television during his time as Universal Champion. It was pointed out that he had the longest world championship reign sinceHulk Hogan, but only defended the title 13 times, all onpay-per-views, with Tim Fiorvanti fromESPN commenting that he had "removed the top title onMonday Night Raw from circulation".[210] The short length of his matches was also criticized by journalists and fans.[211] Former WWE ChampionBob Backlund criticized the fact that Lesnar used mostly suplexes during his matches, saying "it gets old to do the same thing over and over and over again".[212]
Following his match atWrestleMania XX in March 2004, Brock Lesnar left WWE to pursue a career in professional football, despite not having played the sport since high school.[214] WWE publicly acknowledged his departure, stating that Lesnar had decided to pause his wrestling career to attempt a tryout for theNational Football League (NFL), and wished him success.[215]
Lesnar later explained in interviews that, while he had enjoyed his time in WWE, he had become disillusioned with the lifestyle and wanted to explore football before it was too late. Emphasizing his competitive drive, he stated that the decision was not a publicity stunt, but a serious personal goal.[216]
He participated in theNFL Scouting Combine and drew attention for his athleticism, but his progress was briefly derailed in April 2004 when he was injured in a motorcycle accident, suffering multiple injuries including a broken jaw and hand.[217][218][219] Despite the setback, several NFL teams expressed interest, and Lesnar worked out for theMinnesota Vikings in June.[220][221] He signed with the team in late July and appeared in several preseason games as a defensive tackle before being released in August.[220][222]
The Vikings offered Lesnar a spot inNFL Europa to further develop his skills, but he declined the opportunity, citing a desire to remain in the United States with his family.[222] During his time with the Vikings, several officialfootball trading cards featuring Lesnar were released.[213]
DuringUFC 77 on October 20, Lesnar joinedUltimate Fighting Championship with a one-fight contract.[228][229] On February 2, 2008, Lesnar made his debut with the promotion atUFC 81 against formerUFC Heavyweight ChampionFrank Mir.[230] Due to his large hands,[231] Lesnar was wearing 4XL gloves for the fight, making him the second man in Nevada's combat sports history to wear such gloves, afterHong-man Choi.[232] Lesnar secured an early takedown and began landing numerous punches, but was docked a point, after a punch hit Mir on the back of the head. He scored another takedown and continued landing ground and pound, before Mir secured a kneebar and forced a submission at 1:30 of the first round.[230]
Despite losing on his debut, he was offered a new contract and atUFC 82 on March 1, former UFC Heavyweight Champion andHall of FamerMark Coleman was announced to fight Lesnar atUFC 87.[229][233] Coleman withdrew from the fight due to an injury and was replaced byHeath Herring.[234] In the first round Lesnar scored an early knockdown and went on to dominate the fight winning via unanimous decision by 30–26 on all three judges' scorecards.[235]
Lesnar then facedRandy Couture for the UFC Heavyweight Championship atUFC 91 on November 15.[236] He denied Couture's takedown attempts and outstruck him on the feet, eventually knocking him down and landing ground and pound until he was awarded the technical knockout and UFC Heavyweight Championship.[237]
On December 27 atUFC 92, Mir defeatedAntônio Nogueira for the Interim Heavyweight Championship and was to face Lesnar for the Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Championship atUFC 98. Immediately after winning the Interim Heavyweight title, Mir found Lesnar in the crowd and shouted, "You've got my belt". Due to a knee injury to Mir, the title unification match with Lesnar that was originally slated to be theUFC 98 main event was postponed.[238] Lesnar instead fought Mir atUFC 100 on July 11, 2009. Mir attempted to grab ahold of Lesnar's leg early in the fight but was denied and Lesnar held top position landing punches for the rest of the round. In the second round, the two traded blows but Mir hurt Lesnar with a knee and a punch, leading him to take Mir down and land heavy ground and pound winning the fight via technical knockout. During his post-match celebration, Lesnarflipped off the crowd who had been booing him. Lesnar also made a disparaging comment about the pay-per-view's primary sponsorBud Light, claiming they "won't pay me nothin'" and promotedCoors Light instead. Lesnar later apologized for his remarks at the post-fight press conference, where he held a bottle of Bud Light and endorsed their product.[239]
On July 1, it was reported that the winner of theShane Carwin vs.Cain Velasquez fight atUFC 104 would face Lesnar, but the match was scrapped and Lesnar was scheduled to defend the title against Carwin atUFC 106 on November 21.[240] On October 2, Lesnar pulled out of his Carwin bout due to an illness. UFC PresidentDana White said Lesnar had been ill for three weeks, claiming he had never been this sick in his life and that it would take him a while to recover, therefore his fight with Carwin was rescheduled forUFC 108 on January 2, 2010.[241] Lesnar initially sought treatment in Canada, but later told reporters that he had received "Third World treatment" at a hospital inBrandon, Manitoba and that seeking better treatment in the United States saved his life. Lesnar went on to criticize Canadian health care further and stated that he shared his experience to speak "on the behalf of the doctors in the United States that don't wanthealth care reform to happen".[242]
On November 4, it was confirmed that Lesnar hadmononucleosis and that his bout with Carwin would have to wait a bit longer and the fight for Lesnar's heavyweight championship was canceled.[243] On November 14 at theUFC 105 post-fight conference, White stated, "[Lesnar]'s not well and he's not going to be getting well anytime soon" and that an interim title match might need to be set up.[244] In addition to mononucleosis, it was revealed that he had developed a serious case ofdiverticulitis, an intestinal disorder, which required surgery.[245] After further diagnosis, Lesnar underwent surgery on November 16 to close a perforation in his intestine that had been leakingfecal matter into his abdomen, causing pain,abscesses and overtaxing his immune system to the point that he contracted mononucleosis. From the level of damage to Lesnar's system, the surgeon estimated that the intestinal condition had been ongoing for around a year.[246]
In January 2010, Lesnar revealed onESPN'sSportsCenter that he was scheduled to make a return to the UFC in the summer.[247] A match between Mir and Carwin took place on March 27 atUFC 111 to determine the Interim Heavyweight Champion and Lesnar's next opponent.[248] Carwin defeated Mir via knockout in the first round, becoming the new Interim Champion. After the fight, Lesnar came into the ring and stated, "It was a good fight but he's wearing a belt that's a make-believe belt. I've got the real championship belt".[249] Lesnar faced Carwin atUFC 116 on July 3, to unify the heavyweight titles.[250] Early in the first round, Carwin knocked Lesnar down with heavy punches, and continued landing ground and pound throughout the round, opening a cut on Lesnar's eye. In the next round, Carwin was noticeably fatigued and Lesnar scored a takedown, attained full mount, then move into side-control and finish the fight with an arm-triangle choke. With the victory, Lesnar became the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion, earning his first Submission of the Night and giving Carwin his first loss. The win also tied a UFC record for most consecutive successful UFC Heavyweight Championship defenses.
Title loss and first retirement
Lesnar's next defense was against undefeated top contenderCain Velasquez on October 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California atUFC 121.[251]Dana White announced viaSportsNation that the UFC would bring backUFC Primetime to hype the fight.[252] In the first round, Lesnar scored a takedown and land some heavy knees but eventually succumbed to Velasquez's superior striking and was finished by technical knockout late in the round.[253]
Lesnar was advertised as a coach ofThe Ultimate Fighter Season 13, oppositeJunior dos Santos,[254] with the two expected to fight on June 11 atUFC 131,[255] but he was struck with another bout of diverticulitis and had to withdraw from the fight on May 12.[256] He was replaced by Shane Carwin, who ended up losing against dos Santos.[257] Lesnar underwent surgery on May 27 to help battle his problems with diverticulitis. White said that he had a 12-inch piece of his colon removed.[13]
In its May 2011 issue,ESPN's magazine published a story listing the highest-paid athlete based on base salary and earnings for the most recent calendar year or most recent season in 30 sports. Lesnar topped the list for MMA at $5.3 million, which included his reported bout salaries and estimated pay-per-view bonuses.[258]
In the summer of 2011, Lesnar announced that he was returning to action, stating, "I feel like a new man. Healthy. Strong. I feel like I used to feel".[259] His return match was scheduled to be atUFC 141 on December 30 in Las Vegas against former Strikeforce heavyweight championAlistair Overeem.[260] Lesnar attempted to takedown Overeem but was unable and ate heavy body shots to his surgically repaired stomach, eventually being finished with a liver kick and punches.[261][262] Lesnar then retired from MMA, mentioning his struggles with diverticulitis and saying "tonight was the last time you'll see me in the octagon".[261][262]
Speculation about a return to MMA lasted until March 24, 2015, when Lesnar revealed in an interview onSportsCenter that he had re-signed with WWE and officially closed the door on a return to MMA, even though he was offered a deal "ten times more" than what he had made previously in his MMA career. He further elaborated that, while he was training for months for a return to the UFC, he felt "physically great but something was lacking mentally".[263][264] Lesnar added that "[he's] an oldercaveman now, so [he] makes smarter caveman decisions" and that he chose to sign with WWE instead of returning to MMA because he could "work part-time withfull-time pay".[265]
Return to the UFC (2016–2018)
Fight against Mark Hunt
Though Lesnar said he was "closing the door on MMA" in March 2015,[266] UFC announced on June 4, 2016, that he would return atUFC 200 on July 9.[267] WWE confirmed it had granted Lesnar "a one-off opportunity" to compete at UFC 200 before he returned to the company forSummerSlam on August 21.[268] Lesnar dominated the first and third rounds, battering Hunt with ground and pound in the third to secure the unanimous decision win. He also was paid a UFC record $2.5 million purse.[269][270][271] This record was broken atUFC 202 byConor McGregor, who was also the previous holder.[272]
Suspension and second retirement
On July 15, 2016, Lesnar was notified of a potential anti-doping policy violation by theUnited States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) stemming from an undisclosed banned substance in an out-of-competition sample collected on June 28.[273] On July 19, a second test sample taken in-competition on July 9 was revealed as positive for the same banned substance discovered in the previous out-of-competition sample.[274] On August 23, theNevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) confirmed that Lesnar had twice been tested positive forclomiphene and was suspended.[275]
On December 15, it was confirmed that Lesnar was fined $250,000 and suspended from competition for one year by the NSAC. He would be eligible to return in July 2017. As a result of the suspension, the result of his fight with Mark Hunt was overturned to a no contest.[276] As of January 2019, Lesnar has yet to pay the fine.[277]
On February 14, 2017, it was reported that Lesnar had notified UFC he was retiring from MMA for the second time.[278] On July 7, 2018, Lesnar stormed the cage after the main event fight atUFC 226 and challenged the newUFC Heavyweight Champion,Daniel Cormier.[279] On July 8, USADA confirmed that Lesnar had begun the process to get back into their drug-testing pool.[280] UFC officials were reportedly targeting a bout between Lesnar and Cormier for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, butDana White claimed Lesnar told him he was "done" with MMA and the bout ultimately did not occur.[281][282]
In September 2020, White said he could organize a fight between Lesnar andJon Jones if both men wanted it.[283] That same month,Bellator presidentScott Coker expressed interest in booking Lesnar to fightFedor Emelianenko.[284] Lesnar did not respond to either man's comments, and once again confirmed in March 2022 that he would stay retired.[285]
Other media
In 2003,WWE Home Video released aDVD chronicling Lesnar's career entitledBrock Lesnar: Here Comes the Pain. It was re-released in 2012 as a three-disc DVD and two-discBlu-ray collector's edition to tie in with Lesnar's WWE return. It was also expanded to include new matches and interviews. In 2016, a new home video was released on DVD and Blu-ray, as well as a collector's edition, calledBrock Lesnar: Eat. Sleep. Conquer. Repeat. and includes accomplishments from his second run in WWE.[286]
In 2009, Lesnar signed anendorsement deal with Dymatize Nutrition. ACD containing footage of Lesnar training was included with Dymatize's "Xpand" product.[291]
Lesnar co-wrote anautobiography with Paul Heyman, titledDeath Clutch: My Story of Determination, Domination, and Survival, which was published byWilliam Morrow and Company in 2011.[292]
In a 2013 post on his blog,Attack on Titan authorHajime Isayama revealed that he drew inspiration from Lesnar for the character of the Armored Titan.[293]
Personal life
"It's very basic for me. When I go home, I don't buy into any of the bullshit. Like I said, it's pretty basic: Train, sleep, family, fight. It's my life. I like it. [...] I just don't put myself out there to the fans and prostitute my private life to everybody. In today's day and age, with the Internet and cameras and cell phones, I just like being old school and living in the woods and living my life. I came from nothing, and at any moment, you can go back to having nothing."
Lesnar married fellow WWE performer Rena Greek, better known asSable, on May 6, 2006.[295] They relocated in 2014 to Canada, where they reside on a farm inMaryfield, Saskatchewan.[296] Together, they have two sons named Turk (born 2009) and Duke (born 2010), both of whom play ice hockey.[297][298] With his former fiancée, Nicole McClain, Lesnar also has twins who were born in 2002: a daughter namedMya Lynn, who competes intrack and field,[299] and a son named Luke, who also plays ice hockey.[300] He is also the stepfather of Greek's daughter with her first husband.[19]
Lesnar is an intensely private individual who has expressed his disdain for the media; he rarely participates in interviews and avoids questions pertaining to his private life.[294] He is a supporter of theRepublican Party[242][301] and a member of theNational Rifle Association of America (NRA).[302] He made an appearance at the NRA's annual meeting in May 2011 to discuss his passion for hunting and his role as a spokesman for the Fusion Ammunition company.[303][304] He is a fan of theWinnipeg Jets ice hockey team[305] and theSaskatchewan Roughriders Canadian football team.[306] In 2016, Lesnar acquired Canadian citizenship, after representing the country in his latter UFC matches.[307]
Lesnar developed addictions to alcohol and painkillers during his first run in WWE, later claiming that he would drink a bottle ofvodka per day and take hundreds ofVicodin pills per month to manage the pain caused by wear and tear on his body.[19] He cited the incident in which he botched ashooting star press atWrestleMania XIX and landed on the top of his head as a primary source of pain.[19] As a result of the addiction and mental exhaustion, he says that he cannot remember the entire two years that made up his first WWE tenure.[19][308]
Legal issues
In January 2001, Lesnar was arrested inLouisville, Kentucky, for suspicion of possessing large amounts of illegal substances. The charges were dropped when it was discovered that the substances were legal hormones. His lawyer described it as a "vitamin type of thing".[309]
Lesnar had previously signed anon-compete clause in order to be released from his contract with WWE, which prohibited him from working for any other professional wrestling companies before June 2010. He challenged this ruling incourt.[310] WWE responded with acounterclaim after Lesnar breached the agreement by appearing at a New Japan Pro-Wrestling show in 2004.[311] In July 2005, the two sides dropped their claims and entered negotiations to renew their relationship.[312] WWE had offered Lesnar a contract, but on August 2, their official website reported that Lesnar had withdrawn from any involvement with the company.[313] The lawsuit began to entersettlement talks on September 21, but did not get solved.[314][315]
On January 14, 2006, Judge Christopher Droney stated that unless WWE gave him a good argument between then and the 25th, he would rule in favor of Lesnar, giving him asummary judgment. This would have enabled Lesnar to work anywhere immediately.[316] WWE was later granted a deadline postponement.[317] On April 24, both parties reached a settlement. On June 12, a federal judge dismissed the case at the request of both legal parties.[318]
On December 15, 2011, Lesnar was charged with hunting infractions on a trip toAlberta on November 19, 2010. Two charges were dropped, but Lesnarpleaded guilty to the charge of improper tagging of an animal. He wasfined $1,725 and given a six-month hunting suspension.[319]
^Lesnar's IWGP Heavyweight Championship reign at IGF is considered a continuation of his reign from NJPW.
^When Lesnar first won the title, it was known as the WWE Undisputed Championship. His second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh were as WWE Champion, while his fourth was as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.[343]
^ab"Brock Lesnar". kffl.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2016. RetrievedJuly 9, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^abMeltzer, Dave (October 25, 2007)."White banking on Lesnar's success". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. RetrievedMarch 21, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^Meltzer, Dave (February 2, 2008)."Brock Lesnar Needed 4XL Gloves". Bloody Elbow.Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. RetrievedJuly 17, 2009.Lesnar's hands are the largest for any combat sports athlete in the history of the state of Nevada. He needed 4XL gloves, and even they were slightly on the small size. The only fighter ever to wear 4XL gloves was South Korean giant Choi Hong-man, who is 7 ft 3 in and 367 pounds.
^"UFC's Brock Lesnar on Hunting".American Hunter. National Rifle Association of America. October 4, 2010.Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 26, 2023.
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