The Savage Truth: Lesnar Return a Coup for UFC

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.

Forget about last weekend’s little imbroglio surrounding the announcement of Brock Lesnar’s return to the Octagon. Let’s focus on what it means for the sport’s biggest promoter. Lesnar was the biggest draw the company ever had until the emergence of Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor over the past couple of years.

UFC has been on quite a staggering roll over the past 18 months or so, racking up pay-per-view buys and hauling in record amounts of revenue on the backs of their two media darlings. Then, November came, and Holly Holm soundly whooped Rousey and made it look easy. Rousey has scarcely been seen since, and her return seems still a ways off -- if she returns at all.

Less than four months later, McGregor ended up on the wrong end of a Stockton punking when the Irishman faltered in the second round of his scheduled five-round main event with Nate Diaz. As if that wasn’t enough, McGregor defied the UFC and refused to acquiesce to the promotion’s calls for him to abandon his training for the rematch to come to North America to promote the fight. Suddenly, the UFC was without a true top-end draw.

I know Jon Jones had just returned from his suspension, but let’s face facts: Rousey and McGregor were the engines driving the UFC’s amazing performance, and neither one was anywhere to be found as the booking of UFC 200 unfolded. Perhaps the organization already knew they were on their way to re-signing ex-heavyweight champ Lesnar -- it sure seems like it when you revisit how they dealt with McGregor -- but, according to media reports, Lesnar didn’t sign his deal until last Friday. Either way, having him atop the seminal UFC 200 card will ensure it sells close to, if not better than the originally scheduled McGregor-Diaz rematch.

Along with filling the void left behind by the sport’s two guaranteed moneymakers, Lesnar brings the added bonus of bringing in an entirely different audience that may not regularly buy a UFC PPV. The hype created by Lesnar’s return to competition is going to generate a completely different buzz than even the promotion’s golden children would have been able to muster. It is a bold move at just the right time to help maintain the momentum that has been building over the last couple of years.

Now that we’ve dispensed with the positive side of this deal, the part that benefits the promotion and other fighters -- the ones with PPV points in their contracts, who will reap the rewards of being on the same bill as Lesnar -- let’s talk about the downside. I don’t mean to come off too negatively here, but what the hell is Lesnar thinking?

Aside from cashing a massive check, Lesnar is staring at a cornucopia of problems that could derail his comeback to the sport. First off, at nearly 39 years of age, Lesnar isn’t exactly a young prospect, though heavyweight does tend to be more forgiving for older fighters. He has been away from the sport for nearly five years, and though he has been fake-competing for most of his absence, it just isn’t the same, even if pro-wrestling is a very physically demanding profession.

We also can’t forget how awkward Lesnar looked in his previous stint when his opponents started firing combinations his way. On more than one occasion, Lesnar turned his back and flat out sprinted away from his attackers. I don’t think the sabbatical he’s been on is going to help with that when Mark Hunt, a brutal knockout artist, starts lobbing bombs his way.

There is only one way to view this in my opinion. It is a cash grab by both parties. Before you get all pissy about that characterization, realize that should not be viewed as a bad thing. We all go to work to make money. Lesnar is no different than you or I in that regard. Win, lose or draw, he is going to take home a big chunk of change.

The UFC, on the other hand, is going to reap the benefits of Lesnar’s return by not only lining their already deep pockets but by gaining even more exposure for fighters who are set to compete alongside “The Next Big Thing.” They are using him and he’s using them and that, hopefully, benefits everyone involved.

Hell, even if Lesnar gets run out of the Octagon on a rail by the “Super Samoan,” he’ll at least get some closure on his MMA career. He’s repeated time and again during his ESPN carwash that he had never lost to an opponent and that diverticulitis was the culprit when his opponent’s hands were raised. Win or lose, this one will be on Lesnar.

So, let’s all get ready to watch the UFC’s bicentennial offering try to live up to the amazing card we just witnessed this past weekend and enjoy what will probably be the last MMA fight of Brock Lesnar’s wacky, wonderful career.

Sherdog.com Executive Editor Greg Savage can be reached by email or Twitter @TheSavageTruth. If you would like to have your question or comment answered in the weekly Postal Connections mailbag, please submit them by Wednesday evening each week.