Brock Lesnar UFC Return: When Can The WWE Wrestler Have His Next MMA Fight?

Brock Lesnar’s MMA career might not be over, but he won’t be stepping back inside the octagon anytime soon. The former heavyweight champion has been suspended for a year by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for failing multiple drugs tests ahead of his fight at UFC 200 on July 9.

While still under contract with WWE, Lesnar returned to UFC last summer for the first time in five years. A month before performing at WWE SummerSlam, Lesnar defeated Mark Hunt by unanimous decision, earning a reported $2.5 million payday. Less than a week after his victory, it was reported that Lesnar failed a drug test on June 28.

Lesnar tested positive for a banned substance (clomiphene) on both June 28 and July 9. On Thursday, the NSCA decided to ban Lesnar from competition for a year, fine him $250,000 and overturn the result of his fight to a “no contest.”

Lesnar has denied knowingly taking any banned substances, and he won’t admit liability for the failed drug tests in the settlement agreement he reached with the NSCA. He will be eligible to fight again in July 2017.

WWE has suspended several of its superstars in 2016 for failing drug tests, though Lesnar has not received any punishment from the company. Lesnar has wrestled 11 matches for WWE this year, but he is a part-time performer and therefore not subject to WWE’s wellness policy.

Lesnar is scheduled to fight at WWE’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Jan. 29, and he’s expected to have one of the headlining matches at WrestleMania 33 on April 2.

It’s unknown if Lesnar will ever return to UFC for another fight. Before it was known that he failed multiple drug tests, it looked like Lesnar had a good chance to compete in UFC at least one more time.

Before Conor McGregor became a household name, Lesnar was the biggest star in UFC history, and his $2.5 million fight purse at UFC 200 was the most ever at the time.

Lesnar’s suspension is very similar to that of Jon Jones, who was pulled from the main event of UFC 200 because he tested positive for a banned substance. Jones has been banned for a year, though UFC has stated that there is no evidence that the former light heavyweight champion knowingly took an illegal drug.