Lesnar Healthy, Returning This Summer

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has recovered from an illness that threatened his career and he will fight this summer.

Lesnar and UFC President Dana White ended months of speculation Wednesday when they addressed Lesnar’s health on the 11 a.m. ET edition of “SportsCenter” and stated that Lesnar will fight the winner of the March 27 interim title bout between Shane Carwin and Frank Mir.

Lesnar spoke soberly of his illness. He had been expected to fight Shane Carwin in November, but he dropped out of the bout and said Wednesday that initially he had been diagnosed with mononucleosis. However, when he took a trip to Canada to get his mind off the fight’s cancellation, he experienced severe stomach pain.

“One night I woke up and I was in severe shock,” Lesnar said. “I had a 104 temperature. I felt like I was shot in the guts.”

Lesnar returned to the U.S., where he was diagnosed at Medcenter One in Bismarck, N.D., with diverticulitis. The champion described the disease by saying he had a hole in his stomach. He said he was given antibiotics and pain medication.

“The doctor there … wanted for me to heal myself,” Lesnar said. “Versus the other side of it, was to go in, remove part of my colon and wear a colostomy bag and pretty much end my career.”

Lesnar said he was fed through an IV during an 11-day hospital stay that saw him lose 40 pounds. He visited the Mayo Clinic next, where he said doctors suggested he needed surgery.

“Forget about the career side,” White said. “This guy was looking at a completely different life, a different quality of life if he would have needed this surgery.”

With the possibility of surgery looming, Lesnar returned to the gym. He added 30 pounds back on, and when he returned for more tests, doctors were stunned by the results.

“They were dumbfounded,” Lesnar said. “They couldn’t find any signs of any problem in my stomach. It’s just a miracle.”

Lesnar attested to the power of the mind during his “SportsCenter” interview. He thanked his family, friends and the UFC for standing by him.

“I take my hat off to the doctors at Medcenter One for saving my life and my career,” he added.

White said that the winner of the Feb. 21 bout between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez could also produce a challenger for Lesnar’s return if there is an issue with the winner of Carwin-Mir.


This article was updated at 12:50 p.m. ET on Jan. 21 to reflect that Lesnar had both the condition diverticulosis and the disease diverticulitis.