UFC 141: Why Brock Lesnar Must Beat Alistair Overeem to Save His MMA Career

With UFC 141 just days away, the debate over the main event of Brock Lesnar versus Alistair Overeem has been taken on from every angle.

There have been arguments over which fighter will come out on top. Debates on how the fight will end and how quickly it will be over. Discussions on which fighter needs this win more.

Both heavyweights bring very different skill sets to the Octagon.

Lesnar's collegiate wrestling background combined with his brute strength has allowed him to overwhelm many of his opponents. There has been some question of his ability to take a punch, but there is no doubt that Brock is a challenge for any fighter.

Alistair Overeem comes with maybe the best technical striking in the heavyweight division. He is a K-1 striking champion as well as a world grappling champion. He may be one of the few heavyweights that can match Lesnar's size and strength. 

The winner of this fight will go on to face Junior Dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight championship. 

While this fight means a great deal to both fighters, I feel that this fight means everything to Lesnar.

Here is five reasons why Lesnar must win at UFC 141.

Another Loss Sends Him Down the Rankings

A loss to Alistair Overeem would put Brock's record at 5-3. 

It would be his second straight loss after losing the UFC heavyweight title to Cain Velasquez. There is no doubt that a loss would force Lesnar to work his way back up the rankings if he hopes to earn another chance at the belt.

Lesnar is used to being one of the premier heavyweights in the UFC. He is used to be the main event and the big draw on the card. I'm not sure how he would react to having his fights dropped to the middle of the main card.

With his multiple battles with illness and lengthy recoveries, it is hard to imagine that Brock would want to work his way back up the rankings after another loss. It would certainly be a long road that he may not want to travel.

Another loss will show us one thing about Lesnar that has been questioned, his desire to continue fighting in the UFC.

He Isn't Getting Any Younger

Brock Lesnar is 34 years old.

While he hasn't had too many miles put on him during his MMA career, he has been a competitive athlete his entire life. Even though it is scripted, a WWE career can do some serious damage to the human body. Lesnar has suffered more than his fair share of injuries.

We saw Lesnar hurt badly in his past two fights. Cain Velasquez was the only one able to finish Lesnar, but Shane Carwin certainly did some serious damage.

Brock's body has been through a lot over the years and it makes you wonder how many more years of MMA does he really have left in him. The entire training process for MMA is strain enough on the body let alone getting in to the octagon with another fighter.

A tough loss against Alistair Overeem could be enough for Brock to call it quits.

A Loss Hurts His Value

Brock Lesnar was picked up by the UFC because they knew his WWE popularity would be a huge asset.

They were right on with that assumption. Lesnar has been one of the biggest draws for the UFC since he joined them in 2008. He has set pay-per-view records and even in his losses has remained a top draw.

However, all of this popularity came when Lesnar was still being touted as "the baddest man on the planet". 

With a potential second straight loss to Alistair Overeem, Lesnar's popularity could take a nose dive. It'll be interesting to see how many of the casual MMA fans that love Lesnar will continue to buy his pay-per-views when he is no longer dominating opponents.

The money that Lesnar reels in from the UFC may be one of the few reasons why he continues to compete. With his contract drawing to its end, it'll be interesting to see how much Lesnar earns after a loss to Overeem.

The UFC May Jump off the Bandwagon

Dana White has always supported and been a fan of Brock Lesnar.

Even when Lesnar went on his post fight tirade after beating Frank Mir, the UFC stood by him. The reason is because he makes them boat loads of money.

When you are a business and you have an asset like Lesnar that can make you considerably more money than your other assets, you protect him. Lesnar has certainly been placed in his fair share of tough fights, but he has earned title shots quite a bit quicker than other fighters.

The UFC knows that Brock Lesnar in title fights means big money.

However, how many losses before they begin pushing another fighter?

As I mentioned in the last slide, a loss hurts any fighters value. Lesnar's personal value in terms of his contract is important to him, but his ability to bring pay-per-view buys is important to the UFC.

A loss to Overeem may just be the turning point for the Lesnar hype train. In fact, if Overeem beats him decisively, we could see Alistair become the new big draw of the heavyweight division.

It May Kill Is Desire to Compete

Brock Lesnar's desire to compete in MMA has been called in to question for some time.

There have been rumors that he would like to return to the WWE after his current contract with the UFC is over. If this is true, Lesnar already has one foot out the door.

MMA requires an incredible amount of focus and determination. It is necessary to dedicate yourself in and outside of the octagon if you want to be one of the greats. When Lesnar was winning fights and a champion, he appeared on top of the world.

However, when he lost, he looked like a broken man. 

The fiery, competitive spirit was gone and he appeared ready to call it quits. Lesnar may have just been taking the loss hard, but it appeared to be more than that.

Winning is easy for anyone. It is how someone deals with losing that really sets them apart as competitors.

A loss to Overeem may just be the breaking point for Lesnar. He may decide that it just isn't worth it anymore. I have a feeling that a Brock Lesnar retirement speech after a loss to Overeem wouldn't shock many.

A Lesnar win means everything to his career. Without it, he may not have a MMA career after UFC 141.