Lorenzo Fertitta tried to save Brock Lesnar deal by doubling the money, but UFC 'bad dream' was already over

The fact that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) could offer Brock Lesnar double the amount of money already on the table -- only for the ex-heavyweight champion to turn it down -- gives you an idea of the kind of loot the WWE superstar must be sitting on in his Minnesota compound.

Reminds me of the time NBC offered Jerry Seinfeld $5 million per episode to keep his show on the air and he was like, Nah, I'm good.

Heck, not even the considerable negotiating skills of UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta -- savior of many deals gone sour (and many still to come) -- could sway the current WWE champion, who defends his title against Roman Reigns this Sunday night at WrestleMania 31.

Lesnar talks to AP's Greg Beacham:

"Lorenzo said to me, 'Can we sharpen our pencil? Can we double it'" Lesnar said. "I said, 'It's not about that. I'm calling you to tell you where my heart is, and it's not about the money.'

"I've been a barbarian my whole life. I'm just a smarter barbarian now. Evolution, you know?"

"I tried to picture myself coming down to the cage, and it was like a bad dream," Lesnar said. "It just wasn't right. It didn't feel right."

Lesnar undoubtedly got a pretty penny to remain in the land of make believe.

What kind of impact Lesnar would have had in the heavyweight division, especially after (finally) getting over diverticulitis, is unknown, but it may not have mattered much to the accountants. The driving force behind a second stint inside the Octagon was the opportunity to replicate this.

Sorry Dana, but money talks and purple man walks.