Brock Lesnar retires from MMA following loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141

Brock Lesnar has officially retired from the UFC and MMA following his first round technical knockout loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 tonight (Fri., Dec. 30, 2011) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Here's what Lesnar said in the post-fight interview:

"My hats of to Alistair Overeem. I've had a really difficult couple of years with my disease. Tonight is the last time you will see me in the Octagon. I want to thank everybody -- the Fertittas, Dana White. Everybody you've been great. I'm here to say that Brock Lesnar has officially retired. I promised my wife, my kids. If I won this fight I'd fight one more time for the title. If I lost, I'd retire."

Indeed, after battling diverticulitis for the past few years, Lesnar struggled in his past few bouts, losing the heavyweight championship to Cain Velasquez before having a foot of his intestines removed back in May.

He told Joe Rogan in the post-fight interview that he had already planned his retirement. If he were to defeat Overeem tonight, he would have went on to attempt to win the heavyweight championship one more time against Junior dos Santos and that would have been his official retirement bout.

Instead, he goes out on a loss and will fade into the woods with his wife and kids. And maybe we'll see him back in a WWE ring. Who knows. In the meantime, feel free to treat this as the Brock Lesnar memorial thread.

What do you think, Maniacs?