Brock Lesnar: 5 Things He Must Do to Wear UFC Gold Again

After pursuing careers in both the WWE and the NFL, Brock Lesnar made the transition to the sport of mixed martial arts in 2007.

Lesnar made a successful run to the top of the UFC heavyweight division and was crowned the 265-pound champion in a win over Randy Couture.

However, Lesnar would go on to be stripped of his title due to an illness, which would eventually force the former NCAA champ out of action for over a year.

Lesnar will now make his return to the Octagon when he takes on UFC newcomer Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 on December 30th, 2011.

A win in December will solidify Lesnar's shot at the current champion Junior dos Santos in hopes of regaining his treasured title.

However, there are several things Lesnar must accomplish in order to become the champion he once was.

The following slides display five things Brock Lesnar must do to wear UFC gold again.

Let's take a look.

Improve His Conditioning

Since making the transition to the sport of mixed martial arts and then ultimately the UFC, Brock Lesnar has been criticized for his conditioning.

However, up until this point of his career, Lesnar's had just one fight go past the second round.

Lesnar will need to be in the best shape of his career when he steps foot inside the Octagon on December 30th, as he'll be facing one of the toughest opponents of his career.

Conditioning is a must for Lesnar to become champion once again.

Improve His Striking Defense

Every UFC fan who tuned in for Brock Lesnar's championship bout with Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 saw Velasquez expose Lesnar in the standup.

If Lesnar wants any chance at competing with strikers like Velasquez, dos Santos or Overeem, he'll need to become comfortable on his feet.

Lesnar must improve his striking defense to return to his throne.

Maintain Focus

It may sound like a given, but Brock Lesnar has endured a lot of hardships over the course of the past several years.

Many fans fail to realize that Lesnar battled a sickness known as diverticulitis, which kept him out of the Octagon for 14 months.

When Lesnar reenters the Octagon, he'll need to place 100 percent of his focus on Alistair Overeem before he can concentrate on becoming the heavyweight titleholder again.

Needs to Pace Himself

One of the reasons fans have become in love with Brock Lesnar as a mixed martial artist is because of the excitement and entertainment he provides.

We've all seen Lesnar bull-rush his opponent and come out swinging for the fences.

However, that might not be what Lesnar needs, as he needs to learn to set a healthy pace in order to save himself for later rounds.

Defend the Submission

As we saw in the very first fight of his UFC career, Lesnar is inexperienced in defending against the submission.

While it hasn't played a role since, Lesnar will be taking on one of the best heavyweight submission artists to ever step foot inside the Octagon.

If Lesnar wants to return to glory, he'll have to be well rounded in all areas, including submission defense.

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