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 Like it or leave it, it appears that the Brock Lesnar Period is upon us.
Lesnar was on full display in front of his home town - and for the most part - it went as well as it could have for the former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star. His performance with only 2:39 of previous combined MMA fighting under his belt - against a man that has over 40 fights - was an impressive feat for any 1-1 fighter. Not bad for a former WWE champion, that some felt, would never amount to anything but an MMA sideshow.
The Financial Aspect
His potential at 1-0 was good enough for the Ultimate Fighting Championship to sign him to a huge contract to bring him into the UFC fold. It was a contract that was a point of contention for some of the other fighters in the UFC – who couldn’t understand why a man with less than ten times the MMA experience would get paid more. The UFC did it anyways, and also gave him Frank Mir, a former UFC heavyweight champion in only his second MMA bout.
The UFC realized that Lesnar’s years in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) have built him into a ready-made star. They wouldn't need to build his personality with appearances on the Ultimate Fighter TV show, or Pay-Per-View. The fact is, he had already piqued the interest of their target market and been featured on high-rated TV shows such as WWE Raw on a week-to-week basis for years. It didn’t matter that he lacked MMA experience. He would help them further penetrate the huge WWE fanbase - and if he was able to translate his hefty wrestling acumen into good Octagon performances - that would be a bonus.
Lesnar was already a proven PPV commodity that had headlined numerous WWE events for years. It might even be safe to say he had more TV appearances than all the Ultimate Fighter T.V show alumni combined. The fact is, he had already proven his financial worth to almost everyone except the hardcore MMA fans. The UFC knew this and rode it all the way to the bank.
The Fighting Aspect
Most MMA fighters will tell you that while it is important to be very well rounded in all aspects of Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, and striking, of the three, the most important skill just might be the wrestling. A good ground fighter can use good wrestling skills to take his opponent down, and keep him there long enough to utilize his ground skills. A good striker can use good wrestling takedown defense and scrambling ability to keep from getting taken down so he can utilize his stand up ability. The bad nes is, in all likelyhood, Lesnar will never bee a jiu jitsu ace, or high end striker. The good news is, if Lesnar can improve his ground and pound assault, supplement that with improved conditioning, he could find himself in an excellent position in a thin heavyweight division.
It is going to be a daunting task for any fighter in the world, at any weight, to stuff Lesnar's takedowns, and get back to their feet from underneath 280 + lbs of muscle. He is a four-time All American, two-time Big Ten Champion, and 2000 NCAA National Champion. His size and control was evident against a 250 lbs Herring, who had no answer for the MMA newbie. Was the fight the most exciting on the card? No. Was it a step in the right direction for a fighter with only two previous contests and only 2:39 of time spent in an MMA contest? Yes.
Lesnar is a ready-made personality, and with only three fights to his name has proven he can compete in a admittedly thin UFC heavyweight division. At the age of 31 he is still in his physical prime and with the money that he earns, he can bring in the best trainers to work with him and improve his skills without having to supplement his income. His performance wasn’t perfect, he still needs time in the Octagon, time in the gym, and time in the MMA world to acclimatize himself to a new landscape. On Saturday he needed to win, he passed his first real test. Now it will be up to other heavyweight to get past him.
Like it or leave it, it appears the Brock Lesnar Period is upon us.
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