UFC: Brock Lesnar retires from MMA for the 2nd time—report
Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. AP
Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar’s fighting days are over, as confirmed by a UFC spokesperson to MMA Fighting on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).
Following an overturned unanimous decision victory against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in July, and a lengthy suspension imposed by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after he tested positive for banned substances, the 39-year-old hulking athlete will step away from mixed martial arts all together.
Article continues after this advertisementLesnar (5-3-1NC) would have been eligible to fight again in July, but USADA spokesperson Ryan Madden confirmed that the former National Football League (NFL) player and current World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar’s name has already been removed from the drug-testing pool.
His name is also no longer listed among the active heavyweights on the UFC website.
USADA also clarified that if Lesnar would attempt for another comeback in the foreseeable future, he would have to continue serving the rest of his suspension, which still has five months left.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: UFC: Jon Jones, Brock Lesnar could face shorter suspensions
“If an athlete retires during his or her period of ineligibility, the athlete’s sanction will be tolled until such time the athlete notifies USADA of his or her return from retirement and once again makes him or herself available for no-advance-notice, out-of-competition testing,” the drug-testing commission said in a press release regarding Lesnar’s sanction.
After establishing a niche as one of the most polarizing figures of the WWE, Lesnar tried his hand on MMA in 2007, albeit not having fought in any amateur fights before.
After winning his debut match, the UFC soon took notice and signed him in a fight against submission artist Frank Mir at UFC 81 in 2008.
Although Lesnar lost his first fight in the promotion, he quickly became the company’s biggest draw, winning his next four fights—culminated by a TKO victory against UFC legend Randy Couture to capture the heavyweight title.
Back-to-back defeats against Cain Velasquez and Alistair Overeem, plus a highly publicized bout against diverticulitis forced him to abruptly retire in 2011, until his one-and-done match with Hunt five years later.
Lesnar has since continued on with his WWE career and will be performing at the upcoming WrestleMania 33 event on April 2 in Orlando.
Meanwhile, little known UFC welterweight James Moontasri also announced his retirement from the UFC, while middleweight contender Tim Kennedy also hanged up his gloves last month. Khristian Ibarrola/JB
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