Back in the days when mixed martial arts was still a vaguely disreputable spectacle that had not yet moved toward the sports mainstream, its biggest star was a former professional wrestler, Brock Lesnar. Now after an absence of almost five years, he is returning to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), at least for one night.
Lesnar brought the sport some razzle-dazzle from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he had been a star after an NCAA champion amateur wrestling career at the University of Minnesota.
Though his WWE fame would have been enough to earn him a mixed martial arts career, he turned out to be an accomplished fighter in the Octagon, winning the heavyweight title in his third UFC bout over the legend Randy Couture. His success in a sport that was not fixed struck a blow for pro wrestlers as legitimate athletes, not merely bulked-up showmen.
Lesnar defended his title twice, but his career was derailed by bouts of diverticulitis. He lost the UFC title to Cain Velasquez in 2010, then, after a year away, lost a comeback fight to Alistair Overeem.
He immediately announced his retirement and soon returned to the colorful, and predetermined, world of professional wrestling.
However, “that decision has haunted me,” Lesnar told ESPN on Monday. “I never lost to an opponent; I lost to diverticulitis.”
So Lesnar will return to face Mark Hunt as part of the UFC 200 card in Las Vegas on July 9, he announced on Monday.
A reporter for mmafighting.com, Ariel Helwani, had broke the news of Lesnar’s return on Saturday and was later ejected from a UFC card at the Forum in Los Angeles.
A UFC spokesman told the Los Angeles Times that reporting the news was not the only factor in Helwani’s ejection and said he should have sought a comment from the UFC on the story.
Helwani tweeted: “Did nothing unethical. I reported fight news. That’s it.”
Lesnar was always a huge draw for the UFC. His title defense against Frank Mir in 2009 remains the biggest selling pay-per-view in UFC history. Though champions like Daniel Cormier and Miesha Tate are on the July 9 card, Lesnar is likely to drive sales again, despite his long absence.
Lesnar is 38, but mixed martial arts has often been kind to older fighters. The UFC heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic, is 33, and the light-heavyweight champ, Cormier, and the new middleweight champ, Michael Bisping, are both 37.
Hunt, Lesnar’s opponent, is even older, at 42. He is ranked eighth among heavyweights, with a UFC record of 7-4-1, and brings a reputation as a hard hitter. In contrast, Lesnar is better wrestling on the ground. The contrast in styles could add more intrigue to the bout.
For now, Lesnar’s return is just for one fight, with permission of the WWE, which still has him under contract.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at