UFC 141: Can the UFC Heavyweight Division Survive Without Brock Lesnar?

Mixed emotions soared through the minds of UFC fans when news broke that former WWE superstar Brock Lesnar would be making the transition to the Octagon. Lesnar's fans thought he could prosper, while those in the contrary felt he lacked the skill set to accomplish much of anything.

Even without a background in mixed martial arts, Lesnar proved to be capable of holding his own against the likes of Heath Herring. However, fans were even more shocked to see Lesnar tear through UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture en route to earning himself UFC Gold.

Lesnar's success would continue, as he earned revenge over Frank Mir with a second-round knockout at UFC 100 and a come-from-behind victory over Shane Carwin at UFC 116.

As Lesnar's success began to elevate through the roof, so did that of the UFC. Lesnar's dominating performances began to draw fans and numbers that UFC President Dana White had never seen before. By this time, Lesnar was a household name and could show any pay-per-view as the main event.

But Lesnar's career took a nosedive as he was knocked out by Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 in the very first round, losing his heavyweight title.

Lesnar would take off a year to recover as he struggled daily with a disease known as diverticulitis. Even during his time off, the majority of the heavyweight talks revolved around Lesnar's return.

Lesnar was finally slated to return on December 30th, 2011 at UFC 141 to take on UFC newcomer, Alistair Overeem. Once again, things didn't go as planned, as Lesnar would be defeated in the first round of action by vicious knees from Overeem.

Fans held their breath, as they were afraid of what Lesnar might reveal in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. And, unfortunately, their nightmare came true when he announced he would be stepping away from the Octagon for good.

It's hard to imagine the heavyweight division without Lesnar, as he's been the centerpiece since joining the UFC over three years ago.

Lesnar's departure leaves fans with one question: Can the UFC heavyweight division survive without Brock Lesnar?

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