Soon after Alistair Overeem sent former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar into retirement after a first round shellacking at UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem this past weekend (Dec. 30, 2011) conspiracy theorists started working overtime.
Their number one theory:
Lesnar would ride off into the sunset only to return a few months later to his roots and to the organization that helped him become "The Next Big Thing," World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
From 2000 through 2006, Lesnar won the hearts of millions of "professional" wrestling fans around the world and made millions of dollars as one of the most popular and polarizing figures in the history of the organization.
After leaving the wrestling business and after a brief stint in the National Football League (NFL), Lesnar decided to try his hand at mixed martial arts (MMA). After making a successful debut at K-1 Dynamite in 2007 against Min Soo Kim, the former NCAA wrestling champion signed with the UFC and made his much anticipated debut against Frank Mir at UFC 81, losing in the first round via kneebar.
Six fights, one UFC heavyweight title run, and a couple of battles with diverticulitis anchored by two consecutive losses later, Lesnar called it quits.
However, according to former WWE commentator and close friend, Jim Ross, don't expect Lesnar to go running back to his old stomping grounds anytime soon.
Check it out:
"For those that know Brock well, the answer to this question is actually quite simple. It's NO. Brock dislikes, putting it mildly, traveling. Plus, he doesn't need the money even though he's smart enough to not turn down a big payday if the lay of the land is to his liking. That's why the UFC thing was good for him because he could earn big money by traveling 2-3 times per year to fight. I could see Brock doing a major, one off WWE appearance ala a WrestleMania, but not this year, and doing so while not even making the live Raw events that lead into it. I could also see WWE traveling to Brock to shoot vignettes to build whatever match that he might be booked. For fans who think that Lesnar will return to make a significant amount of TV dates only and then only work a handful or so of PPV's, I hate to burst your bubble, but in my opinion that simply isn't happening."
Somewhere in Fantasy Land, millions of wrestling fans hearts just shattered.
On the other hand, UFC President Dana White can perhaps breathe easier with the possibility of not having to worry about a contract dispute for the time bieng with the former heavyweight champion who was one of the biggest PPV draws for the UFC.
This from the UFC 141 post-fight press conference:
"When you retire, he retires under contract. I have no idea (how long the contract is). Listen, I've had my moments with Brock Lesnar but I've had a great relationship with him and we'll figure it out, no big deal. Never had a situation with a guy where we haven't done the right thing."
How about it, Maniacs, are any of you closet WWE fans upset at the possibility of not seeing Lesnar wreak havoc in the squared circle in 2012, cracking heads with steal chairs and jumping off top ropes?