Dwayne Johnson Once Admitted That Giving Brock Lesnar a UFC Title Shot Was ‘Risky’ Business

Brock Lesnar turned a lot of heads when he ditched a promising WWE career and went to UFC. A lot of eyes were on ‘The Beast’ as a former pro wrestler looking to make a name in the world of MMA. There was a lot of skepticism around his move, given that it was rare for a pro wrestler to forge a successful career in the MMA. He raised even more eyebrows when the UFC offered him a contract after just one MMA fight to his name.

Dwayne Johnson, who shared an in-ring rivalry with Lesnar during their time in WWE, also once said Brock Lesnar getting a title shot in UFC after just one win was a risk

Dwayne Johnson said he was proud of Brock Lesnar

After reaching the top of the mountain in WWE in a quick fashion, Lesnar looked at other options to elevate his athletic career. He tried his hand at football, before deciding on taking a chance in MMA. He won his first fight in 2007 at the K-1 Dynamite defeating Min Soo Kim in the first round.

This led to him signing with UFC and making his debut for the promotion in 2008. Despite losing his first bout to Frank Mir, Lesnar had an impressive showing. In his next fight, he beat Heath Herring at UFC 87  and was in line for a heavyweight title match. To the surprise of many UFC followers, the guy from WWE conquered UFC in just his third fight for the promotion. He beat Randy Couture for the Heavyweight title at UFC 91, completing an astonishing debut year.

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In 2014, UFC Fight Pass did a special on the accomplishments of Brock Lesnar, where people from UFC and WWE shared their thoughts on him. Dwayne Johnson, whom Lesnar beat to win his first WWE Championship in 2002, had a lot of appreciation for him. The Rock said, “To give Brock Lesnar a shot, who at that time had one win under his belt, it was a risk. It was risky.”

He also said he was “proud” of him when he became the UFC Champion. The Brahma Bull wondered if anybody would accomplish what Lesnar had in such a short in UFC. DJ said, “I don’t know if anybody will ever accomplish what he has accomplished in the heavyweight division in that short amount of time.”

Moreover, the Hollywood star went on to add that who knows what Lesnar would’ve accomplished had it not been for diverticulitis. Indeed, diverticulitis did bring an abrupt end to Brock Lesnar’s UFC career after he suffered back-to-back losses. The Rock himself, being an elite athlete, had high respect for what Lesnar had accomplished away from the WWE ring.

Despite his short tenure in UFC, Lesnar set records and accomplished accolades that take many fighters years to achieve. He won the UFC Heavyweight title in just his third fight and had two successful title defenses before losing the title. During his brief stint in the octagon, Brock Lesnar gave UFC fans a glimpse into why he is the “Alpha Male of our Species” all those years ago.

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