Brock Lesnar: Why Can't He Compete Anymore in the UFC?
The champ got knocked off, but was it just an off night or a sign of something more?
Brock Lesnar lost his heavyweight title with a lopsided defeat to Cain Velasquez in UFC 121. Since then, Lesnar has dropped off the radar, and it was discovered that Velasquez suffered an injury in the fight and may not return to the octagon until the summer.
There has also been speculation that Lesnar is done with the UFC and wants to return to the WWE, despite being under contract with the UFC.
Lesnar's loss brings up a question: Can he still compete? Or has he lost his edge?
Here are five reasons why he can, and five why he can't:
Reason No. 5 He Is: The Right Division
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Lesnar still has a chance to be competitive and a force, thanks in part to being in a division that isn't stocked with tons of talent like the light heavyweight and lightweight divisions, for example. In those divisions, a loss could put you back in a long line of talented fighters who are waiting for their chance at title shots.
Reason No. 5 He Can't: Work in Progress
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It's one thing to be competitive and a seasoned fighter, but has Brock even reached his full potential? It's important to keep his background in context. With only seven MMA fights, there's still plenty of room for Lesnar to grow and improve his MMA skills.
The only potential problem could be his age. At 33, Lesnar is definitely one of UFC's older top-tier fighters. Current world champs GSP, Frankie Edgar and Mauricio Rua are all 29, but middleweight king Spider Silva is 35.
It's a tricky challenge: Can Lesnar keep improving and evolving, but still sustain the wear and tear from the octagon as he gets older?
Reason No. 4 He Is: Still Highly Regarded
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Even with the loss to Velasquez, Lesnar still is a highly regarded heavyweight. Sherdog's latest heavyweight rankings have Velasquez (9-0) at No. 1, followed by Lesnar (5-2), Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1), Fedor (31-2, 1 NC) and Junior Dos Santos (12-1) to round the top five. Shane Carwin (12-1), Frank Mir (14-5), Alistair Overeem (34-11, 1 NC), Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1, 1 NC) and Antonio Silva (15-2) round out the top 10.
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Reason No. 4 He's Not: Is the Fire Still There?
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Since he hasn't addressed the rumors and speculation about not wanting to fight any longer, it leaves you wondering if he is still passionate about getting in the octagon. If—and if's the key word—he doesn't have that fire to train and keep getting better, he's only setting himself up for getting injured in training or suffering a more serious injury when he actually fights.
Reason No. 3 He Is: Size Alone
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When you consider the fact he is around 265 pounds, and the strength and power generated from his frame, it would be ridiculous to count out Lesnar. Often overlooked in his size are details like his hands. Lesnar is the first person in UFC to wear 4-XL gloves.
Reason No. 3 He's Not: Is He Too Big?
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At first glance, Lesnar's size would seem to give him a perfect advantage, but featured columnist Derek Bolender pointed out that it hurt him following his loss to Velasquez.
"This bout should finally confirm that the ideal weight for a heavyweight is around 240 pounds," Bolender wrote. "This is the perfect concoction of power and speed. There is no such thing as a 265-pound man with cardio in MMA. Too much body mass needs too much oxygen. Although the fight did not even last a round, Lesnar was already showing signs of fitness problems."
Reason No. 2 He Is: Just Speculation
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All the talk about Lesnar's demise and downfall got ridiculous, all because of a radio report that Lesnar is contemplating an "exit strategy" from the UFC.
There's been no definitive talk of retirement, or quitting, and Lesnar has gone off the radar like usual. Lesnar explained his approach with the media in the summer in an interview with the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
"My chances that I get in front of the media, I limit them for a reason," he told the paper. "I got a major problem that usually what I'm thinking comes right out of my mouth. I don't got a filter or anything like that...Either you like me or you don't, and if you don't, I really don't give a damn. I'm not
out to impress anybody."
Reason No 2 He's Not: Getting Exposed
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The more any fighters compete, the more you get a chance to see their flaws and weaknesses. Prior to facing Velasquez, Lesnar's fight with Shane Carwin showed what could happen when you come out and pounce on him.
Carwin took Lesnar down and pounded away at him on the mat, and had a tremendous chance to score a potential TKO in the first round. He couldn't finish the deal. Lesnar miraculously escaped the first round and was able to get him to tap out in the second round.
Reason No. 1 He Is: Evolve, Improve
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No matter the talent level, or weight class, fighters of all sizes and experience have to keep seeking to improve their skills, whether they win or lose.
Georges St.-Pierre (pictured) hasn't lost his edge, and even recently sought out trainer Freddie Roach—who works with Manny Pacquiao—in hopes of improving his boxing skills. Pacquiao also is another example of a fighter who's kept improving, and it's reflected in how he has dominated opponents.
Reason No. 1 He's Not: Cain's Blueprint
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After defeating Lesnar, Cain Velasquez provided a little more insight into how he prepared for the victory. He said he kept working on wrestling and takedowns repeatedly in practice and also explained that he had to watch out for Lesnar's long arms and not getting caught with one of his punches.
When he was in close, Velasquez said it was tempting to brawl, but also knew he had to be selective with his punches and elbows he threw.
Conclusion
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The jury's out. One loss shouldn't derail a fighter's career, but it's up to Lesnar as to whether he grows and improves coming off the loss and continues to mature as a fighter, or if he's decided he had enough with the venture into mixed martial arts.
Saying he can't compete would be ridiculous. Let his skill and his next two or three fights provide the answer.
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