MMA Throwback: Former WWE Champion Claims First UFC Win Over Cage Veteran

When Brock Lesnar made his decision to leave the professional wrestling life and join the UFC, many were skeptical.

After all, why would anyone who earns big money doing “fake fights” with a finish already drawn up in the back decide to fight “for real” where he could risk his health?

Well, Lesnar originally left WWE to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL but failed to appear in a season game with the Minnesota Vikings.

He then gave mixed martial arts (MMA) a try in Japan where he dominated Min Soo Kim with strikes to win his debut match in the first round.

The UFC came calling and he made his promotional debut against Frank Mir on February 2, 2008, as the co-main event of UFC 81: Breaking Point.

Lesnar’s hands were so massive that he had to wear 4XL gloves for the fight.

Casual observers were mostly on the side of Lesnar due to his beastly size and power, but more learned observers were giving Mir a 60/40 advantage, thanks to his experience in the UFC.

The former WWE champion rushed Mir and took him down, landing strikes from the top, but Mir secured a kneebar and handed a shocking loss to the former NCAA Division I wrestler who tapped out almost instantaneously.

Lesnar’s shot at redemption came at UFC 87 on August 10, 2008, where he was scheduled to face UFC Hall of Famer and former heavyweight champion Mark Coleman.

Coleman withdrew from the fight due to injury and Heath Herring was tapped as a replacement.

Lesnar started the fight out with a running knee aimed at Herring, giving way to oohs and aahs from the crowd as they became witness to a one-sided affair.

The highlight of the fight came a few seconds of the aforementioned knee when Lesnar measured his distance and threw a bomb of a right hand to Herring’s head, getting him so off-balanced that the latter rolled backwards and the former swarmed on him.

Lesnar would go on to win the bout via unanimous decision, and his UFC career would go on to become one of the most unique and iconic faces of the heavyweight division.

His run with the UFC would see him become the promotion’s undisputed heavyweight champion after he unified the heavyweight title that he won off of Randy Couture with Mir’s interim title.

Lesnar would return to WWE in 2012 with a one-off fight with Mark Hunt in 2016 that ended in a no contest after he tested positive for hydroxy-clomiphene.