Brock Lesnar retires from MMA for a second time

Former 2-time defending UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar has notified the UFC on his retirement from the sport according to a report from MMAFighting‘s Marc Raimondi.

Lesnar had retired from the sport once before back in December of 2011 after being TKO’d by Alistair Overeem in the main event of UFC 141. Following his retirement, Lesnar would return to WWE to end the greatest streak in Sports Entertainment history at WrestleMania 30. He’d also go on to defeat John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. After his continued success as the most menacing and authentic pro wrestler on the roster, WWE agreed to loan Lesnar to the UFC for their landmark UFC 200 event where ‘The Beast Incarnate’ would defeat the Kiwi kickboxing walk-off KO machine Mark Hunt via unanimous decision. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Lesnar would test positive twice for a banned substance leading to a one-year suspension and his win being overturned.

If Lesnar has indeed hung up his gloves for good, the UFC loses another one of their top PPV draws after the potential retirement of Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor currently courting Floyd Mayweather for a PPV superfight and $100 million payday that could forever put him out of the UFC’s price range. The 39-year-old retires with a record of 5-3 (1 NC) and remains the most successful crossover star in the history of the sport.

Lesnar is currently scheduled to take on Goldberg at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando in rematch of their Survivor Series squash match.