"Millions of fans watched as Brock Lesnar refused to accord his opponent the respectful gesture of touching gloves before their match. He was even more ignominious in victory; insulting the sponsor, dismissing his opponent and giving the fans not on, but two middle fingers."
- Meredith Lyons, Chicago Martial Arts Examiner
All due respect to Ms. Lyons, while the matter of disrespect that Brock Lesnar showed after his UFC Heavyweight Title Defense against Frank Mir on Saturday night was as classless as it comes, I just have to pose the question, who cares?
I understand entirely that martial arts is more about respect for yourself, respect for your opponent and respect for the entire "art" of the "sport", but what I'm failing to grasp is why Brock Lesnar owes anybody that respect?
When Brock Lesnar burst onto the scene in the spring of 2006 declaring his intentions to delve into the world of Mixed Martial Arts, he was ridiculed. After all, he was a former professional wrestler and a failed NFL defensive lineman who was trying to step into a sport he had never competed in before in his life. After his first professional fight, a submission victory due to strikes just 1 minute and 8 seconds into the very first round over Min Soo Kim, he still wasn't taken seriously.
Joining the UFC a mere 6 months after his first career MMA fight, did anybody buy into the hype? Nope. His first fight as a UFC competitor ended just 1 minute and 30 seconds into the first round, a submission loss to Frank Mir. Did people begin to take notice of the brute strength Lesnar possessed as he pummeled Mir at the onset of the fight in a shocking display of raw power? They finally did.
But, when Lesnar was awarded a heavyweight title shot against UFC hall of famer Randy "The Natural" Couture, were people thinking he was deserving? No way. The overall consensus among many MMA fans and fighters alike were that he was just handed his title shot because of his past fame as a professional wrestler in the WWE and not because of what he already accomplished as a mixed martial artist. How exactly did Lesnar feel about that?
"I don't run around looking for any respect. There are going to be critics, but I don't give a damn what anybody thinks."
And you know what, he shouldn't. And that's the exact reason why it didn't bother me one bit that after Lesnar turned Frank Mir's face into mincemeat on Saturday night that he paraded around the ring taunting his bloodied and battered opponent and amid a chorus of boos, gave the fans the ol' one fingered salute. You never respected him, why the hell should he respect you?
But, unlike the many cynics around the world who never thought Lesnar would be worth a damn as a mixed martial artist and he was nothing more than some circus side show who was built on name recognition alone, I knew he was the real deal. People just looked at his resume and saw that he was a "performer" in the World Wrestling Entertainment; fake and scripted wrestling and laughed at the thought of him being involved in a truly physical competition.
Well, big time newsflash for you people, Brock Lesnar had a whole lot of name recognition long before he laced his boots to step into the fictional ring. The athletic prowess and competitive hunger this man has, goes way back to when he was a high school wrestler. In Lesnar's senior year of high school, he boasted a wrestling record of 33 wins and 0 losses. After high school, Lesnar enrolled in Bismark Junior College and promptly won the National Junior Wrestling Championship in 1998. From there, Lesnar dreamed big and transferred to the University of Minnesota for his junior and senior seasons, where he was a two-time Big Ten Conference Champion and the 2000 NCAA Heavyweight Champion. In his 4 year college career, he compiled an overall record of 106 wins and 5 losses. Yep, you read that right, 5 losses in 4 years. Yeah, this guy is definitely not a fighter.
After graduating college and turning down offers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins to play football, he turned his attention to pro wrestling, where he showed off his athletic abilities so much to the extent of earning the nickname "The Next Big Thing" (remember that, we'll get back to it). Having spent just 3 years in the WWE as a professional "entertainer", Lesnar made the personal decision that he wanted to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL, stating that he didn't want to wake up one day at the age of 40 and wonder if he could have done it.
Lesnar played for the Minnesota Vikings, where he was known to stir up quite the heated altercations with his propensity to start fights and be exactly what he is, a natural aggressor. Although Lesnar certainly proved he could hang with the biggest and toughest men in the NFL, he was offered a spot on the Vikings NFL Europe roster, but declined, having satisfied his desire to prove his worth to himself.
This brings us back to that fateful day that he woke up and decided "hey, I want to punch guys in the face for a living and get paid to do it." Understand, Lesnar is not some paper champion. This man is a competitor in the truest sense of the word. When he finds something he wants to do, he breaks his back in setting out to accomplish it. Whether it's becoming one of the best collegiate wrestlers in the United States, becoming a phenom professional wrestler or stepping into the Octagon as an MMA competitor, Lesnar succeeds at what he does.
The term "failure" isn't in his vocabulary. This is a 6'3, 275 pound monster carved out of stone, who has fists the size of melons. His amateur wrestling background alone proves that he belongs in the discussion of being a mixed martial artist. As Lesnar said in November 2008, before his fight with Randy Couture "I'm here to represent amateur wrestling. Would there be other pro wrestlers that could make this transition? Absolutely not, because they don't have the background that I have."
It's that very reason that Dana White has rarely referenced Brock's days in the world of pretend fighting in the WWE and instead focuses on his impressive NCAA collegiate accomplishments. That is, after all, what makes him a force to be reckoned with. Add in his size and astounding athletic ability (there is not one man in the UFC heavyweight division who can move as quickly as Lesnar.) In reality, Lesnar is a rare breed of talent. He possesses the size and strength of some sort of mythical figure that you read about in tall tales. But, he also is readily equipped with the agility of a man half his size.
The two things that Brock Lesnar can bring with him from his days as a professional wrestler are his persona and his attitude. He was dubbed 'The Next Big Thing' in the WWE and frankly, I seen no reason at all why he shouldn't have that same nickname now. That is exactly what he is in the UFC. He's the next big thing.
While the persona of being the next big thing is yet to be talked about or even considered, Brock certainly has brought his attitude with him. The post-fight antics Lesnar boasted as he taunted Mir's bloodied corpse and egged on the capacity crowd to keep booing him, was something straight out of a wrestling script. The bad guy persona that fit Lesnar perfectly in the WWE, is one that he is currently relishing in the UFC.
Many will say that he is bad for Dana White and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. They'll say that his attitude and behavior has no place in their sport and he's making a mockery of everything they've helped to build over the past decade. I say those individuals are wrong. And contrary to what Dana White may be saying publicly (since he lashed out against Lesnar's behavior), he must be sitting down smiling and counting the dollar signs in his head. Lesnar is EXACTLY what White has been looking for.
With fighters such as Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture who brought the UFC and Mixed Martial Arts into the mainstream nearing the ends of their respective careers, the sport is looking for a new face. The next individual who can stand out and be "THE GUY". They're looking for the next big attraction. Dare I say, the next big thing?
Can't you just see UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer now at UFC 108 on January 2nd in Las Vegas, which is likely the next time Lesnar will defend his title?
"Standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing in at 265 lbs. Fighting out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ladies and Gentleman, he is the REIGNING, DEFENDING, UNDISPUTED, Heavyweight Champion of the World. THE NEXT BIG THING Brock Lesnar"
Honestly, it almost sounds too good to be true. I feel like I need to get on Twitter right now and send Dana White a message. He should be having me do publicity and promotions for Brock, because I think I can market him to astronomical proportions. The parallels are just too great to pass up. I am imploring for Lesnar to take his former nickname and run with it. He could take this sport to heights never before imagined.
The number of media outlets discussing Lesnar's actions over the weekend on television this week has been outrageous. ESPN, CNN, NBC, MSNBC, you name it, they've talked about it. Do you think Dana White considers that bad? He's getting publicity for his company! Bottom line is, whether you like Brock Lesnar or you hate him, he'll sell tickets. People will tune into any fight Lesnar has, just in the hopes of seeing him get his face pounded like an old catcher's mitt. That's all Dana White cares about. It doesn't matter to him if you're for Brock or against Brock, but you're there to watch Brock. Lesnar on the other hand, craves the hatred. He is only satisfied if every person in the world wants to see him fail, wants to see him on the receiving end of a beating.
In the 1980's, Mike Tyson was known as the bad boy of boxing. Well, UFC fans around the world, let me be the first to say we've now been ushered into a new era of entertainment. Say hello to the Maniac Muscle of Mixed Martial Arts.
And to whoever Brock Lesnar's next opponent may be at UFC 108, whether it's Shane Carwin or the highly anticipated possible match-up with Russian Super Heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, be wearing of not taking him seriously. This man is a fighter. Whatever he may have done in his past, is just that, in the past. He is a force to be reckoned with and there may not be a man alive who can stop him.
Frankly, I'm giddy at the thought of where Lesnar can take the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. But, whoever that lucky opponent may be, just remember one thing, watch out for his devastating right hand. And if for some reason you find yourself on the ground with Lesnar's chiseled physique hovering atop you with those fierce hammer fists reigning down on the bridge of your newly shattered nose. Well, I've just got four words for you:
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