"These guys are like one in a million that wanted to make it to
the next level and got an opportunity – just as I did." - Brock Lesnar
the next level and got an opportunity – just as I did." - Brock Lesnar
Though still just a small-town farm boy at heart, Brock
Edward Lesnar has relentlessly chased the highest standards and rarely
disappointed himself or his fans. The massive 33-year-old has been a national
champion wrestler, a pro wrestling superstar, an NFL prospect and
against-all-odds UFC kingpin. Now the paramount question is, ‘Can Brock Lesnar
coach?’
The world is set to find out starting Wednesday, March 30th when
the first episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos
premieres on Spike TV (9 p.m. EST/PST). The hour-long shows, featuring 14
promising welterweight prospects, will be broadcast each week up until the
season 13 grand finale on June 4, pitting two finalists in Las Vegas for a
six-figure UFC contract.
“At the beginning … I was very hesitant (to do
the show) because I didn’t want to get out of my comfort zone,” said Lesnar, an
avid hunter and private family man who notoriously prefers the secluded life on
his Minnesota farm to the big city, cosmopolitan life of Las Vegas, where The
Ultimate Fighter 13 was filmed over six weeks. “But I’ve been in front of
cameras a lot in my career and I just approached it professionally. I was there
to do a job. I probably wouldn’t do it again but I did enjoy it.”
Coaching opposite Lesnar will be Brazilian Junior dos Santos, a feared
knockout artist and ultra-talented training partner of UFC middleweight champ
Anderson Silva and the legendary Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. Being
tapped for TUF 13 is a consolation prize of sorts for dos Santos, who has
dominantly steamrolled all six of his UFC foes thus far and had originally been
in line for a shot at UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez. When shoulder
surgery sidelined Velasquez for months, dos Santos jumped at the chance to face
Lesnar rather than possibly wait until late fall for a title shot. Dos Santos
(12-1) and his handlers believe being cast on TUF 13, and beating Lesnar when
they meet later this year would actually elevate dos Santos’ stature among fans
far more than if he had simply fought for the UFC crown.
“I was very
upset when I found out Cain Velasquez was hurt,” dos Santos, speaking in
Portuguese, said through a translator. “But this is a good opportunity for my
career because Brock is a big name and a former UFC champion. Prior to the show
I had never met Brock so I was a little bit surprised how professional Brock is.
He’s actually a nice guy. But on June 11th none of that really matters because I
know that I have to go out there and beat Brock to get a title shot.”
Lesnar, whom Velasquez dethroned in October, is also gunning for the
unbeaten Mexican-American. He believes that, one way or another, he and dos
Santos were on a collision course.
“If I had beaten Cain I’d be fighting
Junior, anyway,” Lesnar said. “I’m right back in the same position. So it’s the
closest thing to fighting for a title and getting my UFC title back.”
Recollecting on his loss to Velazquez, via first-round TKO, Lesnar
indicated he was not as mentally fit heading into the bout as he would have
liked.
“I don’t think it really registers to the general public how my
last year of being sick (severe diverticulitis) and losing 42 pounds and having
a new baby boy (Duke) and fighting Shane Carwin … and then I needed some time
off but we booked the fight with Cain. That’s the way it is in prize fighting.
And in the fight with Cain … this is a game of inches. He was victorious that
night. Next time will it be different? I hope. But I have to get through Junior
first.”
Known to be occasionally temperamental, brash and headstrong,
Lesnar has appeared much more low-key and laid back in recent months since his
amazing recovery from intestinal surgery. He said he surrounded himself by a
great team of coaches – including Marty Morgan, Greg Nelson and Rodrigo
“Comprido” Medeiros.
“I was surrounded by guys that took me to the top,”
Lesnar said. “I really wanted guys to do well. I found myself invested for my
guys to win. You get attached, yes … There was some great talent and some
not-so-great talent. It’s a short amount of time: You’re here with these guys
for five and ½ weeks. That’s a short amount of time, so if guys bring bad habits
to the table then you’ve got to be creative and figure that out fast.
“I
wasn’t too much older than some of these guys. These guys are like one in a
million that wanted to make it to the next level and got an opportunity – just
as I did. They’re fighting for the opportunity to be a household name.”
The greatest lesson he took away from the experience, Lesnar said, was
enhanced “Octagon awareness.”
Dos Santos, meanwhile, said that before
filming began he sought the advice of “Big Nog,” who wisely informed him that
the first week of filming would be the most difficult. He also encouraged his
friend and training partner to “just be yourself.”
The biggest surprise
to dos Santos was his affinity and retention of the English language.
“My English flowed so naturally,” he said. “I was able to speak English
Edward Lesnar has relentlessly chased the highest standards and rarely
disappointed himself or his fans. The massive 33-year-old has been a national
champion wrestler, a pro wrestling superstar, an NFL prospect and
against-all-odds UFC kingpin. Now the paramount question is, ‘Can Brock Lesnar
coach?’
The world is set to find out starting Wednesday, March 30th when
the first episode of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos
premieres on Spike TV (9 p.m. EST/PST). The hour-long shows, featuring 14
promising welterweight prospects, will be broadcast each week up until the
season 13 grand finale on June 4, pitting two finalists in Las Vegas for a
six-figure UFC contract.
“At the beginning … I was very hesitant (to do
the show) because I didn’t want to get out of my comfort zone,” said Lesnar, an
avid hunter and private family man who notoriously prefers the secluded life on
his Minnesota farm to the big city, cosmopolitan life of Las Vegas, where The
Ultimate Fighter 13 was filmed over six weeks. “But I’ve been in front of
cameras a lot in my career and I just approached it professionally. I was there
to do a job. I probably wouldn’t do it again but I did enjoy it.”
Coaching opposite Lesnar will be Brazilian Junior dos Santos, a feared
knockout artist and ultra-talented training partner of UFC middleweight champ
Anderson Silva and the legendary Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. Being
tapped for TUF 13 is a consolation prize of sorts for dos Santos, who has
dominantly steamrolled all six of his UFC foes thus far and had originally been
in line for a shot at UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez. When shoulder
surgery sidelined Velasquez for months, dos Santos jumped at the chance to face
Lesnar rather than possibly wait until late fall for a title shot. Dos Santos
(12-1) and his handlers believe being cast on TUF 13, and beating Lesnar when
they meet later this year would actually elevate dos Santos’ stature among fans
far more than if he had simply fought for the UFC crown.
“I was very
upset when I found out Cain Velasquez was hurt,” dos Santos, speaking in
Portuguese, said through a translator. “But this is a good opportunity for my
career because Brock is a big name and a former UFC champion. Prior to the show
I had never met Brock so I was a little bit surprised how professional Brock is.
He’s actually a nice guy. But on June 11th none of that really matters because I
know that I have to go out there and beat Brock to get a title shot.”
Lesnar, whom Velasquez dethroned in October, is also gunning for the
unbeaten Mexican-American. He believes that, one way or another, he and dos
Santos were on a collision course.
“If I had beaten Cain I’d be fighting
Junior, anyway,” Lesnar said. “I’m right back in the same position. So it’s the
closest thing to fighting for a title and getting my UFC title back.”
Recollecting on his loss to Velazquez, via first-round TKO, Lesnar
indicated he was not as mentally fit heading into the bout as he would have
liked.
“I don’t think it really registers to the general public how my
last year of being sick (severe diverticulitis) and losing 42 pounds and having
a new baby boy (Duke) and fighting Shane Carwin … and then I needed some time
off but we booked the fight with Cain. That’s the way it is in prize fighting.
And in the fight with Cain … this is a game of inches. He was victorious that
night. Next time will it be different? I hope. But I have to get through Junior
first.”
Known to be occasionally temperamental, brash and headstrong,
Lesnar has appeared much more low-key and laid back in recent months since his
amazing recovery from intestinal surgery. He said he surrounded himself by a
great team of coaches – including Marty Morgan, Greg Nelson and Rodrigo
“Comprido” Medeiros.
“I was surrounded by guys that took me to the top,”
Lesnar said. “I really wanted guys to do well. I found myself invested for my
guys to win. You get attached, yes … There was some great talent and some
not-so-great talent. It’s a short amount of time: You’re here with these guys
for five and ½ weeks. That’s a short amount of time, so if guys bring bad habits
to the table then you’ve got to be creative and figure that out fast.
“I
wasn’t too much older than some of these guys. These guys are like one in a
million that wanted to make it to the next level and got an opportunity – just
as I did. They’re fighting for the opportunity to be a household name.”
The greatest lesson he took away from the experience, Lesnar said, was
enhanced “Octagon awareness.”
Dos Santos, meanwhile, said that before
filming began he sought the advice of “Big Nog,” who wisely informed him that
the first week of filming would be the most difficult. He also encouraged his
friend and training partner to “just be yourself.”
The biggest surprise
to dos Santos was his affinity and retention of the English language.
“My English flowed so naturally,” he said. “I was able to speak English
well and I understood English also. There were many surprises.”
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