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Way back in 2006, noted Large Man Brock Lesnar pulled a reverse Kurt Angle when he decided to leave the WWE and put his actual wrestling skills to the test by pursuing a career in MMA. Lesnar eventually signed a contract with the UFC before his new career was sidetracked by a severe case of diverticulitis. Lesnar eventually decided to go back to the squared circle before returning to the Octagon in 2016, but he suffered a setback when he tested positive for steroids after his victory at UFC 200, drawing the ire of opponent Mark Hunt and other fighters in the process.
Lesnar received a $250,000 fine and a one-year suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commision for his troubles, and while his rumored fight against Jon Jones was derailed after Jones followed in his footsteps by failing a drug test, UFC President Dana White told the New York Post he thinks it’s only a matter of time until the current WWE Universal Champion makes his return, saying,“I think he’ll give it one more run. I just think Brock loves to fight.”
During the interview, White also discussed the possibility of Floyd Mayweather facing off against Conor McGregor on the Irishman’s home turf, speculating fans would be motivated to purchase the fight based on the prospect of the boxer getting kicked in the face. He also confirmed McGregor is being stripped of his lightweight belt ahead of the matchup between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 in April but is optimistic he’ll eventually return to reclaim his title.
Lesnar’s comeback could be complicated by the fact that his return to the UFC would have to be approved by the WWE, and it’s unclear how the 40-year-old would fare in the increasingly competitive heavyweight division without performance-enhancing substances on his side.
It’s worth noting White has previously predicted Ronda Rousey would have a rematch against Holly Holm and McGregor would be back in the Octagon by the end of 2017, so it’ll be interesting to see if his newest prophecy will actually come to fruition.