Brock has accomplished what he desired in the world of combat sports. He won the NCAA National Championship and made his WWE debut in 2002. WWE gave him the nickname ‘The Next Big Thing’ and he lived up to the moniker. Lesnar won the WWE Championship in his first few months with the company. After reaching great heights in pro wrestling, ‘The Beast’ gave MMA a shot. In just his third fight with the UFC, he won the Heavyweight Championship. All this could’ve been very different had he made a massive career decision after his NCAA triumph.
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In an interview from over 20 years ago, Lesnar revealed why didn’t go to the Olympics after his success in amateur wrestling. He could’ve made the US Olympics team, but instead, he opted to dive into the world of pro wrestling and signed with the WWE.
Brock Lesnar talked about the draining NCAA experience
A look at the glorious career of Brock Lesnar tells us he has achieved what most athletes dream of. In 2000, he became the NCAA Champion. He won this first WWE Championship at the age of 25, beating The Rock at SummerSlam. ‘The Beast Incarnate’ dominated the UFC as well, winning the Heavyweight Championship in a short span.
An athlete as versatile and dominating as Lesnar is a rare breed. Despite becoming a global star and achieving fame with WWE and UFC, his success in the NCAA still ranks as one of his best achievements. Usually, after such a win, many athletes ponder a move to the Olympics with a chance to represent their country at the highest level. However, Brock didn’t want a part of it.
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After Lesnar signed for WWE in 2000, prominent pro wrestling insider Dave Meltzer asked him why did he decide to not go for the Olympics and sign with WWE instead. Lesnar replied, “I think once I achieved my ultimate goal in my life which was being a national champion, I think that decided it for me.”
He further said he would have continued training had he finished second in the NCAA tournament. The former WWE Universal Champion said,
“If I would’ve ended up in second place at the NCAA tournament I’ll probably be wrestling. Because of everything, it would be an empty spot in my life where I’ve needed to fill. If I was in a second place, I would definitely be in Minneapolis training for the US team.”
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Moreover, he also talked about the draining experience of his NCAA win. Lesnar revealed, “I think once I won that tournament it was like a big weight was lifted off of me. And I just I didn’t care. I could care less about even putting my wrestling shoes ever back on again because it was so draining.”
Considering how Brock Lesnar is a very private individual and likes to keep away from the constant media attention, it is understandable why he signed for WWE.
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Still, it would have been interesting to see how ‘The Beast’ would have done had he gone to the Olympics that year. But their loss was WWE’s gain. Pro wrestling got ‘The Next Big Thing’ and over 20 years later, he continues to entertain the fans. How do you think Lesnar would’ve fared at the Olympics at that point in his career?
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