Lesnar vs. Overeem: Why We Should Root for Brock Lesnar

It's been a long road for Brock Lesnar since his defeat to Cain Velasquez in UFC 131 in October, 2010.

Fitting that his loss to Velasquez came just before Halloween, because it's been a nightmare ever since.

Lesnar appeared to get a second chance when it was revealed in January that he would be one of the coaches for Ultimate Fighter Season 13. If all went according to plan, he would be fighting opposing coach Junior Dos Santos for a chance for a rematch with Velasquez.

But when that pivotal fight for Lesnar came around, his heart was willing, but his body was not. The 34-year-old once again fell victim to diverticulitis, an intestinal disorder that has bothered him since November 2009, when he was diagnosed. He got a 12-inch piece of his colon removed and repaired during the ensuing surgery.

All of a sudden, his comeback attempt was over.

At least we thought.

On Dec. 30, Lesnar will return to the Octagon against Alistair Overeem in UFC 141, with yet another chance for a rematch with Velasquez. This time, he's hoping for a rebirth and a new year, instead of the nightmare he's been living since October.

Lesnar could have gone the easy route, returning to the wrestling world that first gave him his name. But Lesnar has been adamant that he wants to continue his UFC career.

Said Lesnar in March, via ESPN:

"

"I know people think because I lost my last UFC fight to Cain Velasquez that I want to go back to wrestling, but I'm here in UFC with the goal of winning back my title."

"

Why should we root for Lesnar?

Well, in addition to the fact that he's battling back from humiliation at the hands of Velasquez and surgery, we should root for Lesnar because he's fighting for something he believes in, and despite being 34 years old won't let others convince him to give up.

He's a man going after his dream, no matter the obstacles, and that is something we can all admire.

So when Lesnar enters the ring, it matters not if he wins or loses. We should simply be looking at Lesnar as a man pursuing his dream, a man who frankly wasn't supposed to step into the Octagon ever again after getting knocked to the ground by Velasquez.