There’s no doubt that Brock Lesnar is one of the most physically gifted athletes to grace the squared circle in WWE. After a standout amateur wrestling career at the University of Minnesota and becoming a star in WWE, it was only natural that he’d set his sights on the world of MMA, and went on to sign a contract with UFC in 2008.
When Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012, the company capitalized on his UFC background, allowing him to wear fight-style shorts with his Jimmy John’s sponsorship during his matches. He also wore MMA gloves, and the hope was that his crossover stardom would help draw UFC audiences to WWE.
Speaking on the latest episode of 83 Weeks (available early and ad-free via AdFreeShows), WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff discussed this crossover potential, saying that he doesn’t believe anyone knows how Brock Lesnar’s appeal affected crossover between wrestling and UFC.
“My impression really was, and still is, that most people who are hardcore, not even hardcore, just big UFC fans don’t get wrestling and aren’t interested in it. There’s a percentage that are, of course, I don’t know if anybody really knows what that crossover percentage is. If it’s 2% of the UFC audience that watches wrestling, or 5%, or 20%, or 80%.
“I don’t know if anybody else knows that as a fact, through research or dad, I’d be curious. And especially curious to see how that’s changed since Brock Lesnar, you know, I’d like to see how that’s changed pre Brock Lesnar and post Brock Lesnar.”
Brock Lesnar Last Competed At WWE Crown Jewel
After losing a last man standing match to Roman Reigns at WWE SummerSlam, Brock Lesnar wasn’t seen in WWE until the following October, when he made a shocking return on WWE Raw’s October 10 season premiere. As fellow fomer MMA star Bobby Lashley was speaking in the ring, Lesnar’s music rang out throughout the arena, and after a brief hello, he proceeded to deliver multiple F5’s to the then-United States Champion before locking in the Kimura.
The damage to Lashley’s arm was too severe for him to be able to apply the Hurt Lock during his title match with Seth Rollins immediately following, and Rollins won the title following multiple Stomps.
Understandably, Lashley was enraged at this turn of events, and this led to a clash between the two behemoths at WWE Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Brock Lesnar was victorious at that event, and hasn’t been seen in the company since that time.
If you use any quotes from this transcription, please credit 83 Weeks and link back to this article with a h/t to Inside the Ropes.