Brock Lesnar celebrating a Title defence. (Photo courtesy of prowrestlingpowerhouse.com)
Last night, Jon “Bones” Jones beat Vitor Belfort by a Submission in the fourth round and retained his Light Heavyweight Championship. This was the main event for UFC 152, and in my opinion it was a great headline match for an amazing event. Even the co-headline match last night was for the UFC Flyweight Championship between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benevidez, which re-affirms UFC’s place at the top of the MMA pantheon. Every weight class in the UFC from Light Heavyweight down to Flyweight is unbelievable… but I’ve missed a weight class.
Since pugilism first hit audiences and television screens, the most hyped events were usually the Heavyweights. The reasoning was simple, Heavyweights knock each other out. This has carried through to MMA.
In January of 2007, a legend announced his return from retirement at the age of 43. In his first match back from retirement, he beat Tim Sylvia, a 6ft 8in giant, by unanimous decision. This made Randy Couture, the former Light Heavyweight Champion, a now Heavyweight Champion. Randy made the title relevant again and he defended his coveted title until 2008, what he didn’t realise was that he had to face “The Next Big Thing.”
Randy had already shown the night against Tim Sylvia wasn’t a fluke, as he also defended against a very game Gabriel Gonzaga. But this next competitor wasn’t Gabriel Gonzaga, he is simply, Brock Lesnar. Brock simply hammer-fisted Randy’s face in the Second Round of their fight to get the TKO victory. The former WWE “Superstar” became a crossover champion and made the UFC Heavyweight Championship even more relevant than before and one of, if not possibly the most talked about Championship in the World. Lesnar was one of the most dominant champions in UFC Heavyweight History and only solidified this when he won possibly the most hyped UFC event of all time, UFC 100. Brock won the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship, consolidating both titles and became the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion.
Brock was ‘numero uno’, and looked as if no one could stop him, until Cain Velasquez shocked the world in 2010 with a surprise victory. After the demoralising loss, Brock became ill with diverticulitis and never won a UFC match since. Brock subsequently left after his last fight with Alastair Overeem, and rejoined “Pro Wrestling.” WWE.
Ever since Brock’s departure, the Heavyweight Division has never had that same electricity and excitement. Brock isn’t just a fighter, he’s a global brand, one that in my opinion is sorely missed in the UFC. He’s got extensive experience at cutting promos, and he’s just a damn good fighter. There’s now rumblings that he may return. All I’m saying is I really hope this is true. Do you think Brock will return to the UFC?
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