How Long Will Brock Lesnar Last?

Some people may assume that my title refers to the upcoming match between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir for the Heavyweight championship.

Readers who know me well can guess that it isn't about that fight at all.

The February issue of FIGHT! magazine was left in our bathroom and I have frequently seen the picture of Brock Lesnar and the question on the front page "Is Brock Lesnar For Real?"

Underneath the title "The World Will Soon Find Out."

While the rest of the world is wondering if Brock Lesnar has come far enough along in his MMA skills to defend his title and overwhelm Frank Mir who was also once the title holder, that, of course, is not what I sit pondering.

Brock Lesnar has been the type of athlete with the potential to be great in more than one sport and I think most people will agree with this statement.

My rumination dwells on the question, "Will Brock Lesnar finally find his niche in a sport and truly settle in for the long run?"

It is hard to excel in any sport. To be a super athlete takes untold hours of work, proper conditioning, a fixed training regimen and determined dedication beyond the imagination of the majority of sports fans.

It is gruelling, repetitious, and boring to be tied to the extensive training necessary to be a true sports star.

Shortcuts, the use of steroids or slacking off will take a toll sooner or later that will knock the athlete that makes use of them flat on his ass.

Only the truly dedicated and souls with hearts as big as their biceps will survive in the world of MMA.

Many MMA stars are also very interesting characters and fun to watch; unless they can continue to compete at the top of their class, they will be dropped and quickly forgotten like yesterdays news.

Brock came into the UFC through the back door by the very individual who has argued that the fighters who come up through his organization must start at the bottom of the ladder working for pennies and work there way up, to be successful.

Dana White saw dollar signs when he decided to pay Brock Lesnar $250,000 to become a part of the UFC family and fight at Heavyweight.

Dana justified this break with his own "start 'em small and at the bottom rung" principle to bring Lesnar in by emphasizing that "not everyone can do what Brock Lesnar can do" excuse to quiet his critics.

Well, since he refuses to allow Bobby Lashley into the UFC to even attempt to do what Lesnar has done, I guess he holds all the cards in this argument.

My consternation comes from the fact that Brock has been quite the chameleon. 

He reached the top in the WWE, only to tire of its requirements, and then quit and went outside that organization traveling from country to country instead of town to town, which he claimed kept him away from home and family too much.

At one point he tried to parlay his skills into a football career with the Minnesota Vikings, only to quit abruptly when he did not reach his goal as quickly as he expected.

Now, if his career in the UFC doesn't meet his expectation and becomes as unattractive to him as his past endeavors have, will he stick with the sport or become Dana White's biggest, most expensive disappointment?

MMA is not the answer for an athlete with low frustration tolerance who expects immediate and unending success, regardless of their assumed abilities.

It takes really hard work.