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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
If Brock Lesnar does indeed make a return to the UFC later this year, he'll be splitting time between MMA and his contracted responsibilities with the WWE. That would trump the deal made by TNA and Bellator Fighting Championships earlier this month to bring in Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal for just that purpose.
The UFC has avoided the pro wrestling connections in MMA, not wanting to "blur the lines" between sport and entertainment (regardless of them being one and the same), but with Lesnar they may go ahead with it.
"I think people get it now with Brock," White said after the UFC 146 press conference (transcribed by MMAWeekly.com). "Brock is a huge WWE star and a huge UFC star. He is accomplished at both. Will King Mo be that guy? I don't know. I think it takes a very special person to do wrestling and to be able to do MMA."
Still, White was noncommittal on the subject on Saturday night, but conversations will be at least taking place on that front.
"I don't know, we've got to talk and see what's going on," White said. "Well, he went back to the WWE it's no secret. Big people get it, there's nothing fake going on over here. It's real. I don't know we'll see."
Penick's Analysis: It would make sense to have Lesnar fight Frank Mir a third time, but what that accomplishes for the UFC is a one-time payoff, and if Lesnar's just coming back for one more payday that may not be something they're interested in. We'll see how this develops, but it's certainly less crazy than it seemed on Saturday night.
[Brock Lesnar art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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