Brock Lesnar’s UFC return at UFC 200 is as monumental a development as it is out of left field, but it’s coming with the WWE’s blessing as a one-time special circumstances return to MMA.
The WWE released the following statement Saturday night after the UFC’s announcement during UFC 199:
Brock Lesnar remains under contract to WWE, however, he has been granted a one-off opportunity to compete at UFC 200. Following this milestone event on July 9, Brock will return to WWE for SummerSlam on Sunday, August 21, live on WWE Network.
Lesnar’s opponent for the event is going to be announced on ESPN on Monday according to a report from The Wrestling Observer, and it will mark his first appearance in the Octagon since December of 2011.
Penick’s Analysis: This is Lesnar being brought in as an attraction, not to make another run as a serious contender, but that doesn’t make it any less significant. This is a huge, huge addition to UFC 200 no matter who he winds up facing, and it’s probably going to wind up being nothing more than a body. That’s perfectly alright when he’s been out of MMA for four and a half years and is coming in with a month to prepare (although it’s likely he’s been doing training for a bit as he’s been off WWE TV for a bit here). It’s mutually beneficial to the UFC and WWE right now (provided Lesnar wins, of course, for the WWE), as WWE broadcasts will be hyping up Lesnar for UFC 200, and his appearance on that show will make his WWE return at Summerslam another big event as well. It’s a crazy world we’re living in right now.
[Brock Lesnar art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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