Lesnar vs. Overeem Highlights: Former Champ No Match for Demolition Man

Brock Lesnar's return to the Octagon didn't last very long. He has Alistair Overeem to thank for that.

Specifically, he has Overeem's legs to thank for that.

In case you missed it, and I don't blame you if you did, Overeem made quick work of Lesnar in the main event of UFC 141, winning by technical knockout in the first round.

It took about a minute for Overeem to gain the upper hand, and he got it with a knee to Lesnar's chest. Another one of those followed shortly thereafter, and Overeem tacked on a shot to Lesnar's midsection before he was finally able to back away.

Less than a minute later, Overeem was all over Lesnar again. He hit him with another knee at about the 2:50 mark, and he then hit Lesnar with a kick to his side a few seconds later.

That proved to be the killer blow, as it sent Lesnar crumbling to the floor right up against the fence. Overeem was on top of him on a heartbeat, and he managed to land a few punches before the referee stepped in and called it right then and there.

Officially, the fight was called at the 2:26 mark. After 14 months away from the Octagon, Lesnar lasted just over two and a half minutes.

Shortly after the fight was over, Lesnar made it official: He will never again step inside the Octagon. The former UFC heavyweight champion has had enough.

To that, there's only one thing to say: Wow.

I'll get to Lesnar in a moment, but I would be remiss to ignore the victor in this fight. Brief as it was, Overeem was never in danger in this bout, and he proved to the world that he is just as good a fighter as his resume suggests.

He also proved that he can handle UFC competition, though nobody should have ever doubted his ability to do so in the first place.

With Lesnar in his wake, Overeem will now get to fight Junior dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight championship. Judging from what we saw from Overeem on Friday night, I would say Dos Santos may be doomed to meet his match. He may be the best boxer in the heavyweight division, but he'll be going up against the best kickboxer in any division.

In UFC, there is no such thing as a dominant heavyweight champ. There are only next heavyweight champions, and Overeem has the goods to prove the point.

As for Lesnar, you certainly can't fault him for trying. To paraphrase his words, he's had a rough couple years, and fighting in UFC is a rough way to make a living. If he truly doesn't want to fight anymore, you can't blame him.

Lesnar does leave behind a legacy, make no mistake about that. It's not a legacy everyone will be fond of, but it's there. He'll be remembered as a guy who decided to give mixed martial arts a shot, and then came, saw and conquered in UFC against all odds.

He leaves the sport with only seven UFC fights to his name, a relatively small number. But one was a championship fight, and two more were title defenses. Considering the smallness of his body of work, that's not a bad percentage.

As for what Lesnar will do next, I trust he'll figure something out. A return to professional wrestling would make sense, but Lesnar will try other careers if he so pleases. He'll be fine.

Whatever he chooses to do, UFC won't miss him. Lesnar's presence has loomed large within the league for several years now, but UFC has enough talented heavyweights to fill the void.

And judging from what we just saw, the division's latest addition might just be the best of the bunch.