Brock Lesnar (Photo : Reuters)
Prior to his return inside the WWE's squared circle in April 2012, Brock Lesnar wreaked havoc in the UFC's famed octagon.
In a mixed martial arts career that saw him win the UFC Heavyweight Championship in just his fourth professional fight and pile up record pay-per-view numbers, Lesnar's hype train was preemptively cut short by a debilitating disease.
"It wasn't a bluff," Brock openly shared to the Stone Cold Steve Austin podcast. "I felt robbed by diverticulitis. I felt robbed by being sick. I was feeling good and it took me a couple of years to start feeling good."
He continued: "I'm at home, I'm working out, my life is great, everything's in tune, my contract's coming to an end with WWE. Hey, it's been a great time but something's missing. I was up front and totally honest with the company and told them I'm really thinking of pursuing getting back in the Octagon."
The often-reserved wrestler was candid during the whole interview with Austin, sharing how the disease cost him significant time from defending the UFC title and lost him a lot of weight.
Lesnar also pointed out that his stubbornness nearly took his life, after almost falling down from a tree while hunting in Canada.
In his heart, Brock is positive that he was only fully healthy in his first three UFC matches against Frank Mir, Heath Herring, and that championship bout with Randy Couture.
"You saw me in the fight against Randy (Couture) (at 100-percent) but it got worse," he said. "When I'd get half way through a training camp and I knew something was wrong. There's something physically wrong with me so I need to figure it out."
There were rumors about a possible comeback MMA fight during the early part of his WWE homecoming, with some even claiming that The Beast was leveraging the two promotions against each other to get the most lucrative deal.
However, Lesnar dispelled the speculations.
"I started training camp. I wanted to test myself and see where I was - not more physical, but mentally," Brock claimed. "I wanted to see the mental challenges that it was going to take. If your head's not in the game, the last place you want to get into is in the Octagon."
Having the said disease prompted him to choose the WWE over the UFC, and in a way the decision isn't just what's best for business, but also the safest for his health and his family's future.
On the other hand, Brock Lesnar admits that if he wasn't diagnosed with diverticulitis that he'd still - more likely - continue to square off with the best MMA fighters in the world.
"It was really unfair for me," Lesnar spoke. "To this day, I don't know if I'd be a pro wrestler if I hadn't gotten sick. I may not be here. I'd still be banging heads."
