“Titles Don’t Pay the Bills”: Brock Lesnar Once Openly Discussed About Returning to the UFC Despite Being Under a WWE Contract

WWE performers stepping into another promotion’s arena is quite an uncommon sight. And a contracted wrestler stepping into a UFC octagon for a fight is a thing normal athletes can only think of. But as many people would attest, Brock Lesnar doesn’t quite relate to the term normal.

After a successful time in the octagon, Lesnar called it quits in UFC and returned to the WWE in 2012. Hence, it shocked everyone when he was advertised for the UFC 200 in 2016. And The Beast revealed how this UFC fight came about while him still being in a WWE contract, in a past interview.

Lesnar has always been considered a performer of the highest caliber. His impressive showings first in the squared circle and later in the octagon have cemented his position as a top draw. People thought that they’d seen the last of him in the octagon when he announced his departure from the UFC in 2011. Hence, it came as a major surprise when it was announced that Lesnar would be returning to the UFC in 2016.

How a return to the octagon came about for Brock Lesnar

In a past interview with ESPN Sportcenter, The Beast spilled the beans on his return to the MMA juggernaut. He was asked why he was welcomed back by Dana White while being in contract with WWE. Lesnar replied, “Big business, it’s all, I mean, at the end of the day I am a Prizefighter and I don’t fight. Listen, titles don’t pay the bills, I’m a prizefighter. I fight for money, and it’s no different. They’re making money, I’m making money, everybody’s making money that’s what this is all about.”

Lesnar returned in 2016 for a fight against Mark Hunt at the UFC 200 event. He seemed to have won the encounter initially. However, the fight was declared a no-contest later that year as Lesnar tested positive for a banned substance. He tested positive for an estrogen blocker substance, clomiphene, and had the win stricken from his record.

Lesnar’s initial UFC run was quite successful

The Conqueror enjoyed a far more successful time in his initial run. He won the top prize of the promotion, the UFC World Heavyweight Championship in 2008.

Read More: “Just to Find My Rhythm”: Brock Lesnar Once Did an Unusual Activity Which He Usually Ignored Prior to His UFC Return

He picked up dominating wins against MMA regulars such as Randy Couture and Frank Mir. UFC announced in 2017 that Lesnar had retired from the sport, making the tainted fight his last with the promotion.

Irrespective of the outcome of his 2016 fight, it was one of the rarest of sights to see a contracted WWE performer competing at a UFC event. This bending of rules is highly unlikely to happen in the case of any other athlete. But Brock Lesnar has made a career out of turning impossible into possible.

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