The Associated Press has a new article up about WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar choosing to re-sign with WWE and retire from MMA.
Lesnar notes that UFC offered him a contract that was “10 times” the amount he made during his first stint from 2008 to 2011. Lesnar also noted that when he called UFC Owner Lorenzo Fertitta to inform him of his decision to stay with WWE, Fertitta doubled UFC’s offer. It was finally noted that Lesnar’s new deal with the WWE is for three years.
Here is an excerpt from the interview:
“Lorenzo said to me, ‘Can we sharpen our pencil? Can we double it’. 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.’ And then in the back of my mind, I’m thinking, ‘Well, yeah, it is about the money, but I don’t have to beat myself up for it.’ To prepare for another MMA fight, we’re talking 16, 18 weeks of pure hell, and then the cage door shuts and it’s on. When you’re sick for two or three years and you don’t know what’s going on, all of a sudden I went from the baddest man on the planet, to vulnerable. It’s reality. My whole life I’ve been this superhuman freak that just kills people, a savage beast. I wasn’t that guy anymore. … Of course my confidence was totally jaded on my last three fights. Whose wouldn’t be? Is Anderson Silva the same guy he was (after breaking his leg)? 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, it just wasn’t right. It didn’t feel right. I’m riding the caboose of my sports career. I just barely caught this thing. I’ll see you the next time.”
AP.org: Ex-UFC champion Brock Lesnar finally rules out return to MMA