Cincinnati, Ohio (USA) – International superstar Brock Lesnar has already achieved high grades for his transition from pro wrestling to mixed martial arts. Now the former NCAA Champion and four-time All-American is ready for the next step in his career - taking on the best heavyweights in the world in the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization.
UFC President Dana White announced the signing of Lesnar to a promotional contract during the pay-per-view broadcast of UFC 77 at the US Bank Arena.
“I don’t think there are any other pro wrestlers that can make the transition to MMA, except for Brock Lesnar,” said White. “And if you look at his amateur wrestling credentials, his size, and what he’s done, this guy can end up being a force in the heavyweight division of the UFC.”
“If you want to go with the NFL of the fighting game, it’s the UFC, and it was an easy choice for me,” said Lesnar. “Obviously I don’t think I’m ready for a title shot right away, but I will be there, and I’m not gonna turn down any opponent because I’m here to prove myself. I’m not here to pick and choose my fights. I’ll fight whomever they want. I don’t make the fights; that’s not my job. I’ve got one job to do and that’s to fight.”
The date and opponent for Lesnar’s UFC debut will be revealed in the near future.
A native of Webster, South Dakota who now makes his home in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, the 6 foot 3 ½ , 265 pound Lesnar first made a name for himself as a wrestler at Webster High School, compiling a 33-0 record in his senior year. This success eventually led him to Bismarck State College and the University of Minnesota, where he was a four-time All American, two-time Big Ten Champion, a second place finisher in the 1999 NCAA Championships, and the 2000 NCAA National Champion.
After finishing his college career with an astounding 106-5 record, Lesnar became a household name as a professional wrestler, and even had a short stint in the NFL® with the Minnesota Vikings.
In 2007 though, Lesnar was in need of a new challenge in his life, and he turned to mixed martial arts, where world-class wrestlers like himself have had enormous success throughout the sport’s history. On June 2, 2007, Lesnar made his long-awaited MMA debut and took only 69 seconds to destroy Min Soo Kim with strikes that led to a submission.
Lesnar’s signing to the UFC bolsters a talent-rich heavyweight division that includes former PRIDE heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira, Cheick Kongo, former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, Brandon Vera, Gabriel Gonzaga, Mirko Cro Cop, Fabricio Werdum and Heath Herring.
