"Cro Cop" Doesn't Believe Lesnar Has Been Tested

Brock Lesnar is 6’2 and weighs in at 265 pounds. With an MMA record of 4 wins and 1 loss he is the UFC Heavy-Weight Champion. With wolrd class wrestling, incredible size and freakish strength he is the man to beat and very possibly the unbeatable man.

Very recently Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, former Pride superstar and Gabriel Gonzaga's claim to MMA fame, stated that Brock Lesnar's win over Frank Mir came at the expense of the sport. "Cro Cop" stressed the fact that Lesnar's victory came due to pure power and required little skill or technique. Although, Mirko still did praise Lesnar for his wrestiling and his ability to learn very quickly. He still doesn't believe that Lesnar has been tested. Mirko points out the fact that Lesnar hasn't fought very much and thus hasn't found himself in a struggle yet. A struggle that involves a few hard leg kicks no doubt. Until Lesnar fights someone with enough skill and technique his size and power maybe enough to get him victories inside the octagon.

So, has Lesnar been tested or what?

In his debut on the MMA scene Lesnar preformed for a well known Japanese organization K-1, in Los Angeles, California. He faced off against Minn Soo Kim or "Mr. Shark" who was coming off of three straight losses. "Mr. Shark" was forced to tap out at 1:09 of the first round due to punches. Lesnar was ready for the big time, I guess.

Lesnar signed on with the UFC and made his debut at UFC 81. He was given a shot at a former champion in Frank Mir who was coming off a win against Antoni Hardonk. Mir was looking for a second win in a row to confirm his "I'm back" status. He would get the win that night, but not without the bout nearly being stopped by the referee in Lesnar's favor. Lesnar did what he wanted and wound up on top striking down on a cowering Mir. Lesnar like a hammer fist trowing momma bear protecting her cubs looked to end the fight. With some never die attitude and stellar technique Frank Mir was able to secure a scissor sweep into a knee bar that halted the bout at 1:30 of the first round. Score one for technique Mirko!

Coming off the loss to Frank Mir Lesnar was determined to prove that he belonged among the top of the UFC Heavy-Weight division. His next task was former Pride fighter Heath "The Texas Crazy Horse" Herring at UFC 87. Herring was better known for his losses to top ranked fighters rather then his wins. Having lost to names like, Vitor Belfort, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (three times), Mirko "Cro Cop" and Fedor Emelianenko. Lesnar would engrave his name on that list by pounding the Texas out of the "Crazy Horse" for three rounds in a unanimouse decision. Done in such a fashion that would leave few remembering that Herring was once a top ranked fighter. Was Herring steamrolled by a man much larger and more powerful then he and less so by  a man with superior skill? You watch the fight and tell me.

Although Lesnar hadn't fought and defeated anyone at the top of the division he earned a title fight against then UFC Champion, Randy "The Natural" Couture at UFC 91. Couture, a man who had made his living off being the underdog and persevering had shocked the MMA world a few times before. And if anyone was down to do it again it was "The Natural". Before the fight even started it was evident that Couture was the much smaller man, giving up 40 pounds to Lesnar on paper. Due to this size and strength disadvantage Couture was unable to push the pace of the fight and dominate in the clinch. Two things that Couture was very use to doing. This caused Couture to get into a striking match with Lesnar, not the best case scenario when your fighting a guy whose hands are so big special gloves must be made. Lesnar caught Couture at 3:00 of the second round hurting him and causeing him to fold to the mat. Cue Lesnar's natural bear instincts and he hammer fisted his way to victory and to the Heavy-Weight title. Size 2 technique 1.

Lesnar's most recent fight was a rematch against then Interim Heavy-Weight Champion Frank Mir at UFC 100. Mir was coming off a huge win against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. One that had Nogueira being stopped for the first time in his career and being stripped of the Interim title. Lesnar was coming off the win over Couture and was fighting as the defending UFC Heavy-Weight Champion. He wanted to not only retain the title but also avenge a loss to Mir. A loss he believed he gave Mir on a rookie mistake. He would do so. Lesnar laid a beat down on Frank Mir that left even Mir haters felling bad (myself included). Lesnar's size and power did seem to be the major difference in this fight. Though Lesnar has an incredibly quick shot, it was his size that kept the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts hips pinned to the mat.

Now begs the question again, has Brock Lesnar been tested? He has fought some incredibly tough opponents. That will never be taken away from him. But has he been tested? The fighters that Lesar beat were all undoutably overwhelmed by his size and strength. It's an old adage among jiu jitsu practitioners and MMA fighters, skill beats size and technique beats strength. This only holds true when your skill and techique out preform your opponets size and strength. Who will be able to out do such incredible power and size? That's for another article!