Brock Lesnar: Why He Will End Career As Greatest MMA Fighter Ever
We all know Brock Lesnar's story. Born in South Dakota, Lesnar attended the University of Minnesota on a full wrestling scholarship. In 1999, Lesnar finished second amongst heavyweights for the NCAA championship. A year later he went undefeated at 33-0 and became the NCAA heavyweight champion.
Lesnar went on to pursue wrestling as a career...as a WWE superstar. After feuding with a plethora of fellow fighters, Lesnar tried out for the Minnesota Vikings as a defensive end, but failed to make the team.
In 2008 at UFC 81, Lesnar fought Frank Mir but submitted at the 1:30 mark in the first round. Since then, Lesnar has been unstoppable. Lesnar has won five straight fights, and is on path to become the greatest MMA fighter of all time.
Sheer Size
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The first thing you notice about Lesnar is his size. He's 6'4", 295 pounds and wears XXXXL gloves. With an 81-inch reach, Lesnar has a size and strength advantage on any other fighter.
With an upcoming match against Cain Velasquez scheduled for October 23, Lesnar has a chance to prove his greatness. Velasquez was also a wrestler in college, but didn't have quite the success of Lesnar.
Dana White has said repeatedly that Lesnar is in the best shape of his life, and should be able to make quick work of the 28-year-old Velasquez.
Lesnar Should Be Undefeated
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In all reality, Lesnar should be undefeated. In his first fight against Frank Mir, Lesnar was poorly trained and allowed a relatively easy submission.
The two met again at UFC 100 with drastically different results. Lesnar won via TKO after pounding away at Mir's face for a round and a half. It was a savage beatdown against the man who had once defeated him.
Lesnar looked like a completely different fighter from his first fight and his punches on the ground were absolutely devastating. Lesnar may have lost his debut fight, but avenged this lone loss by defeating Mir,.
In my mind, Lesnar is still the undefeated champion.
Evolving As a Fighter
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Back at UFC 111, Shane Carwin defeated Mir which provoked Lesnar to say, "It was a good fight, but he's wearing a belt that's a make believe belt, I've got the real championship belt."
In an attempt to unify the heavyweight titles, Carwin and Lesnar squared off at UFC 116, where Lesnar won by applying an arm triangle choke.
This was significant as it was Lesnar's first submission hold, and showed that the massive Minnesota native was a more well-balanced fighter than people believed.
Unparalleled Athleticism
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Lesnar is one of the biggest MMA heavyweights, but what makes him so freakish is his high level of athleticism.
If the fact that he nearly made the Minnesota Vikings despite zero experience playing football wasn't enough, just watch his WWE highlights.
His sheer strength is obvious, but watch for his agility. His hand eye coordination. He's got terrific footwork and exceptional quickness, not just for his size.
Working Hard To Improve Every Day
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Lesnar is committed to winning, and that type of dedication will help him on his quest to become the greatest MMA fighter of all-time.
His training partner is Cole Konrad, who is a former NCAA heavyweight champion who has actually wrestled UFC 121 adversary Cain Velasquez seven times!
Lesnar challenged himself to be better every day by training hard (definitely check out his training regimen), and fighting the best competition.
What does Lesnar think about his training partner? "Having Cole Konrad in my training facility, there's not a lot of guys around that are his size that do what he does, and he brings a great thing to the table in the camp."
Opponent's Opinion
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When asked about his upcoming fight with Lesnar, Velasquez said, "I haven't faced anyone of his size, of his athletic ability, and his power."
"We have good wrestlers in the gym, but nobody his size and the way that he moves, definitely not. Guys that are big and have great wrestling credentials also, but definitely not his size and that's a big factor."
Lesnar is an anomaly. He's the best wrestler in MMA hands down, but when you add in his striking ability and mobility he's damn near unbeatable.
Thin Resume
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One thing that many people will ultimately hold against Lesnar is his lack of experience. At 33 years old, most MMA fighters have a far more prolific resume. Just look at Ricco Rodriguez.
The same age as Lesnar, Rodriguez has 49 decisions more than Lesnar. I firmly believe that Lesnar is the most talented MMA fighter of all time, but he needs a longer work history in order to cement his place in history.
The Must-See Fight
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In my mind, there is only one fighter who can ultimately challenge Brock for the title of greatest heavyweight of all time, Fedor Emelianeko.
The 6'0", 230 pound Emelianeko may not have the size of Lesnar, but he has arguably the most impressive resume of any MMA fighter. The 34 year old Russian has a career record of 32-2, including wins over Tim Sylvia, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mark Coleman.
If Lesnar ever wants to prove his greatness, he will have to fight The Last Emperor.
Still Developing
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While Lesnar's wrestling abilities set him apart from his UFC counterparts, his vast advancement around the board give me hope that we still haven't seen Lesnar's best.
Brock has been working with a striking, boxing and Jiu-Jitsu coach and has seen his skills improve in each of those areas. If Lesnar can win a heavyweight belt with a relatively raw skill set, imagine what he's capable of when those skills are developed.
Get Ready For UFC 121
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With UFC 121 scheduled for Saturday night, a lot of questions are up in the air. Brock Lesnar will take on 8-0 Cain Velasquez for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, with Lesnar looking to defend his title and grow his legacy in the process.
Lesnar may already be the most talented heavyweight to ever grace the octagon, but he needs a fighting resume that matches his talents. A win this weekend won't cement his place as the greatest fighter of all time, but it will go a long way in furthering his reputation.
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