Report: Brock Lesnar re-signs with WWE, could still fight in UFC

For months, we’ve been teased about the possibility of former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar departing from his long-time home in WWE in favor of an Octagon return.

Just last week, for example, UFC President Dana White assured the hulking wrestler would return to the cage.

“Yeah, Brock Lesnar’s coming back,” White told Daniel Cormier on FS1 when asked about the WWE superstars return to the Octagon. “I don’t know when, but yes he is.”

White also recently suggested that Lesnar could return to an immediate heavyweight title shot opposite the winner of Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier’s UFC 226 title fight.

Contrary to these remarks, however, Lesnar defeated Roman Reigns to retain his Universal Title at WrestleMania 34 on Sunday evening. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that he had re-upped with WWE after all.

Interestingly, however, a Lesnar UFC return still seems possible. According to the ever reliable Dave Meltzer of MMAFighting (and Wrestling Observer Newsletter), Lesnar’s new WWE deal is not a particularly long one, and it also allows for “at least one UFC fight.” Meltzer was unable to verify if the contract allows for multiple UFC fights.

Lesnar last fought in July of 2016, on the main card of UFC 200, when he defeated Mark Hunt by decision. Regrettably, a pair of failed drug test caused this result to be overturned, and ruled a no contest.

Months later, the United States Anti-Doping Agency handed Lesnar a year-long suspension. Half way through this suspension, Lesnar announced his retirement from MMA, which caused his suspension to freeze. If he plans to return to the UFC, he will need to re-enter the USADA testing pool and serve the remaining 6 months of his suspension. Given that the wrestler is already 41 years old, he’s already short on time to play with. If he does re-enter the USADA testing pool, expect it to happen soon.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 4/10/2018.