On December 30th, Brock Lesnar announced his retirement following a first round TKO defeat to Alistair Overeem. The announcement marked the end of an interesting run by Brock Lesnar in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
It is not a secret that Dana White and the UFC attempted to make Lesnar the face of the company. Fight fans complained about the promotion of Brock's fights and the fast track he was given to the World Heavyweight title, including the hypocritical nature of White promoting the former pro wrestler.
However, it was hard to argue with the numbers and attraction that Lesnar brought. Lesnar fights drew casual fans into MMA, including helping pro wrestling fans cross over to continue following Lesnar's career.
 |
| Lesnar's Final Moments in MMA... |
And while he was indeed fast tracked, what made Lesnar so special was his overall potential. He was freakishly large and quick, with enormous strength, including an impressive amateur wrestling background. And to give him his due, Lesnar defeated the likes of Randy Couture, Frank Mir, and Shane Carwin - very impressive for a fighter of his inexperience.
Yet, as Lesnar's career comes to an end, as I've stated before (Lesnar Brings ore Than Pain), I cannot be any more in awe and in admiration of Brock Lesnar. Despite the irony that he lost to a fighter who currently is what we thought Brock could become in Alistair Overeem, Lesnar's ability to chase his dreams and do what was best for him and his family despite public ridicule, is a quality that I hold in high regard.
[Blog sidenote: Alistair Overeem is a complete beast. Six foot five inches, two hundred and seventy five pounds with superb striking skils - animal!]
Lesnar's retirement speech after the fight was also done in grace, paying homage to fight fans and his family for support. At the age of 34, Lesnar has headlined Wrestlemania with one of his heroes in Kurt Angle after being mocked for joining pro wrestling following a historic amateur career; tried out and played several preseason games with his favorite childhood team in the Minnesota Vikings after being ridiculed for having given up a potential hall of fame career; and has now retired from mixed martial arts as a former World Heavyweight champion with wins over top names, and one UFC Hall of Famer, after being made fun of for joining the sport as such a late age.
And let's not forget overcoming a rare disease that almost took his life.
Impressive.
And let's not forget overcoming a rare disease that almost took his life.
Impressive.
 |
| Destroying Hogan...ahhh memories! |
And at 34, he still has plenty of gas left in the tank if he seeks another challenge. Of course, with the recent retirement, pro wrestling fans all over the world are salivating at the return of Lesnar to their world. As a pro wrestling lunatic such as myself, I know am rooting for that outcome as well. However, no matter what Lesnar decides to do moving forward, his legacy is still one of the greatest athletic talents of our time, but most importantly, one of the biggest examples of a man believing in himself rather than playing it safe.