Brock Lesnar Retires: Health Issues Ruined Potentially Legendary Career

Brock Lesnar announced his retirement from mixed martial arts on Saturday after losing to Alistair Overeem by first-round TKO.

The former heavyweight champ crumpled after absorbing multiple body blows from the powerful Overeem. Everyone knew that Lesnar would be in trouble if he couldn't take the fight to the ground. After a couple failed takedown attempts, he stayed on his feet and Overeem made him pay.

It's an unfortunate end to what could have been a legendary career.

Just two years ago, Lesnar was unquestionably the baddest man on the planet. But two serious illnesses, including a life-threatening bout with diverticulitis, ruined the prime of his career.

In 2009, Lesnar underwent intestinal surgery, causing him to miss a year of action. He returned to defeat Shane Carwin, but Carwin exposed some major weaknesses in his game.

Three-and-a-half months later, Lesnar's title was snatched away by Cain Velasquez. Lesnar ate brutal strike after brutal strike before the referee stopped the fight late in the first round.

Although it was a demoralizing defeat, Lesnar was clearly still an elite talent. Unfortunately, another diverticulitis incident, which caused him to have 12 inches of his colon removed, forced him into a 14-month hiatus from the octagon.

He made his long-awaited return on Saturday night, but it turned to be a misguided comeback attempt.

Lesnar will retire with an underwhelming 5-3 record. He won the heavyweight title in just his fourth professional fight, and it looked like he would rise to legendary status in no time.

But with more than two years of his career cut short by illness, we'll never know what Brock Lesnar could have accomplished.