Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has re-signed with the WWE, but his return to UFC is still a likely possibility.
The perplexing creative decision of having former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar retain the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania, may now seem more logical.
The day after WrestleMania, WWE announced that Lesnar had re-signed with the company. While this may provide some clarity to Lesnar’s role at WrestleMania, it does muddy the waters of his return the UFC.
During media interviews for UFC 223, UFC president Dana White stated that Lesnar would return to UFC.
Lenar’s new deal with the WWE will reportedly allow Lesnar to fight in the UFC.
According to a report by Steven Muehlhausen of the Sporting News, Lesnar signed a multi-year deal with the WWE. Lesnar’s new deal would allow Lesnar to compete in the UFC.
EXCLUSIVE: Well, Vince McMahon broke part of the news I had. Indeed, Brock Lesnar has resigned with WWE. But, from what I have been told by multiple sources, Lesnar signed a new multi-year deal AND will also be allowed to fight in the UFC as hes still under UFC contract.
— Steven Muehlhausen (@SMuehlhausenMMA) April 9, 2018
Contd: The plan is for Lesnar to fight one time this year vs the winner between Stipe Miocic-Daniel Cormier fight at UFC 226. Lesnar still has to formally reenter the USADA drug testing pool and finish his suspension which is around 6 months.
— Steven Muehlhausen (@SMuehlhausenMMA) April 9, 2018
However, Dave Meltzer of MMAFighting.com has since reported that Lesnar’s deal with the WWE is believed to be “short-term.” According to Meltzer, Lesnar’s new deal allows for at least one UFC fight, but Meltzer was unable to confirm if multiple fights were an option.
Regardless, of Lesnar’s contract length with the WWE, before competing in the UFC, Lesnar must still reenter the USADA drug testing pool and serve a six month suspension stemming from two failed drug tests during Lesnar’s UFC return in 2016.
If Lesnar were to fail a USADA drug test his WWE status would be unaffected due to Lenar’s status as a part time designation within the WWE.
Vallejos’ analysis: This is obviously great news for the WWE, it can also be a positive development for the UFC. Even if Lesnar was exclusively signed to the UFC, he would likely only fight once or twice per year. Lesnar is a major star within the UFC largely due to his visibility in the WWE. In a dual-contracted Lesnar, the UFC has a star that is regularly promoted weekly on national cable television. Of course, injuries in either venture could have a negative impact on either companies bottom line.
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