Brock Lesnar has no place to return in the ever-changing UFC landscape
For the first time in years, former UFC heavyweight and WWE champion Brock Lesnar is a free agent and all the talk is about him possibly returning to the UFC. First and foremost, to put it simply, there is no reason for Lesnar to return to the UFC, no matter who is calling him out.
Lesnar has not stepped into the Octagon since 2016 at UFC 200 when he had a win over Mark Hunt turned over to a no contest after he failed a drug test following a five-year absence from the UFC. The former heavyweight champion was last seen at a UFC event when he confronted Daniel Cormier following Cormier’s win over Stipe Miocic at UFC 226, and the rumor mill started that Cormier would face Lesnar, a fight that never came to fruition.
That might be everything Brock Lesnar is these days in the MMA stratosphere, a dream for fans, a nightmare for the promotion, and a waste of conversation for all. To be fair, Lesnar has not had a finish inside the Octagon since 2010, and the masses expect him to come back for a superfight against some of the top heavyweights in the division, possibly even Jon Jones?
It doesn’t help that UFC President Dana White has come out and said that if both Lesnar and Jones wanted to fight each other, he’d make the fight happen, which especially in the middle of a pandemic, makes zero sense. Unless White is willing to have Lesnar and Jones wait it out until 2021 when there could potential be fans back inside the arena, allowing the promotion to capitalize on the live gate for two superstar names, although one would be coming in with no true momentum in his MMA career.
The UFC has survived, if that’s the best way to put it, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as they were the first professional sport to return after the hiatus but to try and bring back a fighter who hasn’t had a legitimate win in 10 years for sake of ticket and PPV sales, is pointless. When rumors begin of a fighter like Lesnar making his return, there is never a shortage of possible opponents for him and even fighters like Tony Ferguson will offer to train him, but the reality is, there’s no place for him.
Sure, all combat sports have an aspect of prize-fighting to them and Lesnar brings the eyes and money, but what about the top-ranked heavyweights who have been grinding over the last few years and awaiting the chance to compete for a title or a matchup against Jon Jones? Curtis Blaydes, Francis Ngannou, and even champion Stipe Miocic all deserve Jones before Lesnar, and there really should be no argument to it.
There is certainly a case for new blood being needed in the heavyweight division, but Lesnar isn’t the one. If he wins the title, what will he do when Vince McMahon comes calling for his return to WWE? The top of the heavyweight division was already put on hold over the last three years due to the trilogy between Miocic and former champion Daniel Cormier, why go through the circus again?
Simply put, there is no place for Brock Lesnar in the UFC, no matter how much he sells. Most who are calling for a Lesnar fight, are just calling for names and it doesn’t take rocket science to overview the UFC roster, play matchmaker, and call for better fights throughout all the other divisions.
It’s time for the ball to get rolling with the true top contenders in the heavyweight division, including Jon Jones, while excluding Brock Lesnar, because he simply has no place.
