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Possible Opponents If Brock Lesnar Returns To MMA
Brock Lesnar looks to have entered a free agency period and is no longer contractually beholden to World Wrestling Entertainment. Many in the pro wrestling world are pontificating whether Lesnar defects to AEW (All Elite Wrestling).
The idea of Brock becoming All Elite is an enticing one but Lesnar’s free agency also opens the doors for a return to MMA competition. The now 43-year old’s last MMA bout was his initially a decision victory over Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in July 2016. Which was eventually overturned to a no-contest after a failed drug test for Lesnar came back.
To that point, Brock Lesnar has no documented USADA tests in 2020 and his last documented tests took place last year a couple of times. Whether Lesnar continues his efforts in the world of worked combat or if he returns to the shoot world, many in the sports entertainment sphere are understandably curious about this free agent’s next step.
Here are some fun options if Brock Lesnar decides to entertain a return to the world of mixed martial arts.
Brock Lesnar vs Fedor Emelianenko
This would be a worthwhile one for Bellator MMA to break out the checkbook for. Fedor versus Brock is a dream fight that the UFC was looking to put in Dallas stadium around a decade ago.
While neither are presently in their athletic prime, there’s still a certain level of luster that exists with an Emelianko vs Lesnar bout even in 2020. This is a fight that Bellator MMA could conceivably put on pay per view. Even though it has been several years since the company went that route.
A forum debate that has existed for over ten years could finally be put to rest with the booking of this fight. Can Brock be counted as another free agent angling for a Fedor fight?
Brock Lesnar vs Stipe Miocic
The man that many are now calling the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time could do with a huge blockbuster fight. Lesnar is the biggest heavyweight pay per view draw in MMA history, so he very much fits that bill.
This is a fight that would likely anger certain “MMA purists” but it’s one that would put a lot of eyeballs on Miocic. There’s a bit of storyline material that can be used for this one too. When Miocic lost his belt to Daniel Cormier at UFC 226, Lesnar cut a promo in which he disparaged Stipe Miocic’s abilities.
This could easily become one of the biggest heavyweight title fights that the sport of MMA has ever seen.
Brock vs Bones
This is a fight that has been discussed for the last few years. Jon Jones called out Lesnar after his UFC 214 performance against Daniel Cormier. Nothing has transpired beyond that in the three years since this promo.
This would be the biggest box office-minded way that the light heavyweight GOAT could make his transition to heavyweight. As Bones vacated his light heavyweight belt and is mapping out his move up a higher division, this fight with Lesnar would send a huge ripple effect through the combat sports landscape.
Jones also worked in a social media callout of Lesnar when news of the former UFC champion’s free agency broke.
Brock I’ll beatcho ass too
— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 31, 2020
Brock Lesnar vs Francis Ngannou
Ngannou vs Lesnar is that classic matchup between one-punch knockout artist and bulldozer wrestler. The poster and the media faceoffs between these two would look like something out of an Avengers movie.
It’s a fight that would appease hardcore and casual fans alike. The winner of this bout would justifiably cement themselves as the next title contender. This is also the kind of fight that would inspire people who don’t regularly observe MMA too much.
Much like the Miocic example, there’s also a storyline narrative here where Lesnar derided Ngannou in his UFC 226 promo. The promotional build and intrigue around this one is obvious.
Lesnar vs Mir III
This fight has the most storyline backing to it. This potential bout would serve as a rubber match between the two. It’s also the only other bout on an attention-grabbing level that would make sense for Lesnar in Bellator.
Mir defeated Lesnar via first-round kneebar in their initial encounter. Lesnar scored a second-round TKO in their UFC 100 rematch. This also is similar to the Fedor matchup, having the potential to be the biggest fight in Bellator MMA history. An attraction that the company could market for a pay per view audience.
Though Mir has the least amount of competitive momentum out of anyone on this list (recently snapped a four-fight losing skid by beating Roy Nelson at Bellator 231) this matchup is one that has a ton of bad blood. Both presumably wanting to prove they’re the better man once and for all in this trilogy encounter.
