Brock Lesnar Retires From MMA – Again

Brock Lesnar has retired from MMA again.

Following his controversy-laden return at last July 9’s UFC 200 from Las Vegas, the former heavyweight champion and current WWE star has informed the UFC he is done fighting in mixed martial arts. MMA Fighting was the first to break the report, confirming it with UFC officials.

Lesnar is currently facing a one-year USADA suspension for his one-sided smothering of Mark Hunt in the co-main event of last summer’s ballyhooed (but ultimately lackluster) card, a bout he failed both pre and post-fight drug tests for banned estrogen blocker clomiphene. The suspension has been lifted for now, and Lesnar has also been removed from the USADA testing pool.

If he were to return, Lesnar would be eligible five months from when his suspension expired five months after he re-entered the testing pool.

The hulking superstar will go down as one of the biggest draws in UFC history despite only having an overall record of 5-3 (1), with his storied run at the top punctuated by huge wins over fighters like Randy Couture, Frank Mir and Shane Carwin. Lesnar previously retired after losing to Alistair Overeem at 2011’s UFC 141, but wanted to prove he could win in the octagon after he blamed his long fight with gastrointestinal disease diverculitis for his rapid fade in MMA.

He should go down as one of the most mercurial and polarizing figures in the sport, gaining a huge following before fizzling out in rapid fashion, not unlike former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. But like “Rowdy,” Lesnar was as dominant and entertaining as anyone has ever been right until the point he wasn’t, and performance-enhancing drugs obviously clouded his return despite his dominant performance.