Former Pro Wrestling superstar Brock Lesnar will make his UFC debut on February 2nd as part of UFC 81 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas when he steps into the cage against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir. Mir, who is 10-3 in MMA, is a submissions specialist, and captured the UFC Heayweight Title at UFC 48 by breaking the arm of then-champion Tim Sylvia. 6 of Mir's 10 victories have come by submission.
Brock Lesnar Will Fight Frank Mir at UFC 81
mmanewsdesk.com confirmed the SuperBowl weekend showdown in Vegas last night. UFC President Dana White stated, It's an interesting matchup. Lesnar is a great wrestler, a good athlete and this is definitely going to be a big test for him. This guy’s not trying to duck anybody. He knew once he got in the UFC that he was going to fight tough guys.”
A UFC source who requested anonymity told MMA News Desk this fight is a win-win for UFC. "If Lesnar defeats Mir, it shows the Ultimate Fight audience he's real, not just some pro wrestler looking to capitalize on MMA's popularlity. If Mir beats Lesnar, he'll become a star in everyone's eyes, especially the wrestling fans who will be watching who view Brock as being an unbeatable monster."
Lesnar signed with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2000 after graduating from the University of Minnesota as the NCAA Heavyweight Champion. A 4-time All American and 2 time Big Ten Champion, Lesnar debuted on Monday Night Raw the day after Wrestlemania 2002, with legendary wrestling genius Paul Heyman as his on-air "agent." The pair had fantastic chemistry, with Lesnar performing amazing feats for a man his size, and Heyman doing mic work that made him one of the best spokesmen pro wrestling has ever seen. While Heyman's fame is tied into the fact he was the creative force behind the original ECW brand, his work with Lesnar can arguably be some of his finest on-air work, as Lesnar's star rose quickly through the WWE ranks, and he was crowned Undisputed World Champion by virtue of his victory over The Rock at Summer Slam that August.
"Lesnar caught the public's eye," stated Matthew Cooper, editor of www.wrestlingnewsdesk.com, "no one had ever seen someone that big move so quickly. And he was real. Everyone knew he was a champion college wrestler, and people believed he could beat anyone he wanted to, anytime he chose."
But Lesnar grew tired of the wrestling circuit's taxing road schedule of 250-300 days on the road a year, and opted to quit shortly after signing a multi-million dollar contract. Lawsuits and countersuits were filed, much like the UFC - Randy Couture situation of today appears to be headed, and Lesnar finally made his MMA debut, crushing Min Soo Kim at the LA Coliseum in June.
The fight with Mir looks to be a real test for Lesnar, and a matchup that will have both wrestling and MMA fans talking about in advance.
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