Brock Lesnar: 7 Fun Facts About the Next Big Thing

Brock Lesnar is back in the WWE and should be showing up any day now. Photo Courtesy of WWE.com

Brock Lesnar has made his way back to the WWE. The "butt kicker" has had a few matches since his return, but hasn't appeared as much as the WWE Universe was hoping for. 

With WWE's "Show of Shows," WrestleMania 29, just around the corner, expect Brock Lesnar to show up in the next few weeks to start his Mania feud. 

As Lesnar makes his monstrous return to professional wrestling, he may look like a huge, muscle-headed freak show who's only capable of bringing the pain, but in reality, he's an interesting guy. 

Here are seven fun facts about WWE's resident butt kicker. 

1. He Wrestled in Japan

Lesnar won a few titles in Japan after his struggles in the NFL. Photo Courtesy of wrestleenigma.com

Lesnar's rise to glory in the WWE is well-documented, as are his extracurricular activities after he left professional wrestling. One part of Lesnar's athletic career that isn't as well-known is his time in Japan. 

After leaving the WWE, rather unceremoniously I might add, Lesnar didn't run to the NFL or UFC right away. Instead, he had a stint in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Lesnar won the Heavyweight Championship match in fantastic fashion in his first match with the organization. 

He went on to destroy opponents like Kazuyuki Fujita and Masahiro Chono, using his newly renamed Verdict finishing maneuver. 

Lesnar wasn't just a force in the WWE; he was a force in Japan as well. 

2. He's a Really Good Wrestler...Seriously

Lesnar had ridiculous success at the University of Minnesota and in high school. Photo Courtesy of bullshido.net

Lesnar is known as one of the best professional wrestlers to come from an amateur background, and while he's most often remembered for his work in the WWE, let's not forget just how great he was as an amateur. 

The former WWE champion was undefeated during his senior year at Webster High School in South Dakota, going 33-0-0, and went on to compete at the University of Minnesota where he later became the 2000 NCAA heavyweight champion. 

Before joining Minnesota's team, he wrestled for Bismarck State College where he became a two-time NJCAA All-American, an NJCAA national champion and a two-time Big Ten conference champion. 

Lesnar's WWE career has been great to this point, but his efforts as an amateur wrestler shouldn't be forgotten.

3. He's Not Just a Wrestler

Lesnar's exploits in other sports are well-documented, but still fun. Photo Courtesy of mmatorch.com

Lesnar's WWE return has made him look like a monster, but if WWE fans watched him before his comeback, he wasn't exactly scary. 

Lesnar had to find some activities to fill his schedule after leaving the WWE and NJPW. His first venture out of sports entertainment came in the form of an NFL tryout. Lesnar got a chance with the Minnesota Vikings and made the team...for a little bit. 

He made a few plays in scrimmages and even started a fight or two, but never made the regular-season team. 

However, his next endeavor was considerably more successful. He got back into the fighting world, this time a little less scripted than what he was used to. Brock entered the world of MMA and eventually got a contract with UFC. 

His UFC career was impressive at times, as he won the UFC heavyweight championship against Randy Couture at UFC 91, but ended his MMA career with a 5-3 overall record. 

It's not everyday that a WWE wrestler is an NCAA champion, WWE champion, NJPW champion, NFL player and UFC champion. 

4. His First Official Win Wasn't by Pinfall or Submission

Lesnar's first official match was against Jeff Hardy at Backlash in 2002...and it was a doozy.

Lesnar's WWE debut was a memorable one. His first few appearances involved him coming to the ring and destroying other wrestlers. His first official WWE match didn't come until Backlash 2002 against Jeff Hardy. 

Lesnar didn't just beat Jeff Hardy; he knocked him out. It's rare that WWE matches end in a knockout, but in Lesnar's early days, knockouts were pretty popular.

The monster sealed his first official WWE victory by knocking Hardy unconscious at Backlash, which is pretty impressive. 

5. He's the Youngest WWE Champion in History

Lesnar won the Undisputed WWE Championship from the Rock at Summerslam in 2002.

Lesnar has done it all in the world of sports. He's won professional wrestling championships all over the globe. He's played in the NFL, and he's even held the UFC Heavyweight Championship belt. 

At SummerSlam in 2002 against The Rock, he added another impressive accomplishment to that list: youngest WWE Championship holder. 

The WWE Championship has taken many forms, and when it was the Undisputed Championship in 2002, Lesnar snagged it from The Rock at the ripe age of 25, which made him the youngest man to hold the WWE title, beating The Rock's former record. 

Since Lesnar's record-setting title reign, Randy Orton has become the youngest wrestler to win the World Heavyweight Championship, but Lesnar still holds the record for youngest WWE champion. 

6. He Can Actually Do a Shooting Star Press

Lesnar used to end matches with the Shooting Star Press in OVW.

Lesnar has had a few impressive moments in the WWE. He and The Big Show destroyed the WWE ring after a monstrous Superplex, he feuded with Hulk Hogan and he took down just about every big name in professional wrestling. 

On the other side, Lesnar is remembered for two main bad moments in his WWE career. One was his match with Goldberg at WrestleMania 20. His other was a terribly botched Shooting Star Press. 

Most people questioned Lesnar's choice to even attempt the move, while in reality, it wasn't a stretch. 

Lesnar used the Shooting Star Press as a signature and finishing move during his time in WWE's developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling. 

It's no secret that he's a freak athlete, and while he may have botched a huge move on WWE's biggest stage, it's not like he's never done it before. 

7. He Has Hunting Issues

Lesnar is an avid hunter, but had an issue one year in Alberta. Photo Courtesy of americanhunter.org

Brock Lesnar hails from the rugged frontier of South Dakota and spent his college years in Minnesota, another dream location for avid outdoorsmen. 

Because of his upbringing in the outdoors, Lesnar has become an avid hunter, spending numerous vacations in Canada trying to bag big game. 

In 2011, Lesnar took another one of those trips; this time, it didn't end so well. After improperly tagging an animal in the wild, Lesnar was fined $1,725 and was given a six-month suspension from hunting. 

Lesnar was also charged with leaving meat to rot and illegal possession of wildlife, but the charges were dropped during the trial. 

According to a report from The Globe and Mail, the Superstar was accused of shooting a mule deer, but only packed the trophy head, leaving the rest of the animal in the field, which the director of the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society describes as "unethical."

Looks like Lesnar's not just a heel in professional wrestling...

In Conclusion...

Lesnar's return to the WWE is far from over. Photo Courtesy of WWE.com

There you have it. Seven fun facts about WWE's resident butt kicker. He's wrestled all over the world, dominated the amateur level, competed in the NFL and UFC, won his first match in curious fashion, became the youngest WWE champion ever, can actually do a Shooting Star Press and isn't the classiest hunter in Canada. 

Maybe he's not the most committed WWE Superstar, and he's in it for the money, but the dude is a freak. He's one of the most exciting and monstrous big men to come into the business in the past 20 years, and his comeback is a welcome sight to the WWE Universe. 

Lesnar will be returning to WWE programming in the next few weeks, and as he does, keep in mind that he's not all F-5's and Kimura locks. Under that gruff exterior, he's a pretty interesting guy. 

 

Enjoy fun facts about your favorite WWE Superstars? Check out the rest of the WWE Curious Facts series: The Rock, CM Punk, John Cena, The Big Show, Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett, Damien Sandow, Ryback, Antonio Cesaro