Brock Lesnar's big MMA comeback on Friday night did not go quite as well as he might have hoped, but at least he was able to walk away from the evening with his head held high.
Brock Lesnar hadn't fought in the UFC since losing the Heavyweight Championship to Cain Velasquez in October of 2010. Since then, Lesnar has had a string of health issues that have kept him out of action, including a debilitating bout of diverticulitis that led to a surgery in May. That surgery involved removing and repairing a sizable portion of Lesnar's colon, but he appeared to be on track for a comeback.
He did indeed return on Friday night at UFC 141 in Las Vegas, where he took on the debuting Alistair Overeem. The fight was to determine the number one contender for the title, currently held by Junior Dos Santos. Overeem won the bout by TKO due to body kicks and punches in 2:26 of the first round.
After the match, an unusually humbled Lesnar announced to the crowd that it would be the last time they would see him in action in the Octagon. He promised to Dana White and everyone else that he was officially announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts. He stated that he had promised his wife and children that if he had won, he would fight the title match and then retire, but if he lost, he would retire immediately. He kept his promise and referenced his recent surgery and health problems as fueling his decision.
Lesnar could have a long career still ahead of him as an MMA coach, commentator, or personality. It is also impossible to rule out a potential return to professional wrestling, which carries fewer unexpected possibilities of permanent damage than does something like a series of brutal kicks to a surgically-repaired stomach. It has been rumored that the WWE has been trying to lure back Lesnar for a few years now.
For complete UFC 141 coverage and results, please stay tuned to this StoryStream.