Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: Does Brock Lesnar deserve to make it into the UFC Hall of Fame?
Jan 6, 2012 - 12:00:08 PM ROUNDTABLE: Does Brock Lesnar deserve to make it into the UFC Hall of Fame?

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Will Brock Lesnar eventually be a UFC Hall of Famer, and does he deserve that recognition?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Honestly, who cares if he is inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame? The so-called UFC Hall of Fame is nothing more than a marketing tool that Zuffa uses to help sell some tickets or draw some extra attention to a card that needs some extra juice. It's a meaningless 'honor' which is beneath debate.

Now, with that clarified, of course he belongs in the UFC Hall of Guys Who Were Good At Fighting And Are Also On Good Terms With Dana So Frank Shamrock Isn't Eligible Which Makes This Entire Hall Invalid Anyhow. How many other heavyweights defended that title twice? Randy Couture and Tim Sylvia, that's it. Sylvia did so during a rough era for UFC heavyweights, Couture dominated Sylvia, Lesnar dominated Couture. Lesnar is the most recognizable name and face in UFC history. And since the UFC Hall of Guys Who Were Good At Fighting And Are Also On Good Terms With Dana So Frank Shamrock Isn't Eligible Which Makes This Entire Hall Invalid Anyhow is all about marketing, no one is more worthy than Lesnar.


ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Revisionist history is going to say that Brock Lesnar's record and short tenure in the UFC will keep him from achieving a goal such as the Hall of Fame. That thinking is stupid. Lesnar had easily become one of the top draws in all of sports, and not since Chuck Liddell has the UFC seen a fighter, with or without a championship, draw so much interest from all kinds of media outlets. Based on the numbers alone, he should be in. Take that out, all of his fights have been exciting and had a level of excitement and drama that most fight fans wish to see with every fight. He should easily be in the UFC Hall of Fame.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think eventually he will be. He may not have a great record, but there's no denying his spot in UFC history. Look at a list of the most bought UFC PPVs ever and Brock is all over the list. He was the driving force on those events. He's had a huge impact on the UFC, and deserves to be in there eventually. Brock Lesnar was THE draw for the UFC, whether you like him or not, he deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame.


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I am one hundred percent, without a doubt, and unapologetic when I say no. A better question is why the hell isn't Rich Franklin in the hall of fame? Brock Lesnar was successful in his short stint in MMA. I am not debating that point. My problem with him being in the Hall is how he treated Frank Mir after he beat him and how he treated the fans with his moronic "I might even get in top of my wife" speech. He was a one dimensional fighter who was put at the front of the line, because he brought with him a huge fan base. If he had been any other fighter who had to climb the ranks, he would never have reached the top ten. His inability to fight standing left him an ok fighter at best. He was undeserving of his title shot and was destroyed by Cain Velasquez and Allister Overeem. He should never make the Hall of Fame! Brock defended his title two times. Tim Silvia defended his title two times as well. Anyone who makes the argument that Brock Lesnar deserves to get into the UFC hall of fame should look no further than Tim Silvia. Neither deserves to be inducted.


JAMIE PENICK, MMATORCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I am going to completely disagree with Mr. Hobaugh on this one. For starters, to base any argument against him making it on his post-UFC 100 actions doesn't make any sense. I've argued over UFC 100 before, but the criticism of his post-fight actions always ignores the things Mir said prior to the fight and the way he elicited that response in the fight and after from Lesnar. Regardless, it has no bearing on whether or not Lesnar should be in the UFC's Hall of Fame. It's the UFC honoring the fighters that meant something to the organization (at least to Zuffa), and while it has some notable snubs making it not a true Hall of Fame, the way that they choose their inductees means Lesnar will be in, and he'll deserve to be there. There has never, and may not ever be again, a fighter like Brock Lesnar. He brought viewers to the UFC the way no other has done before him, and never asked for an easy road. Sure, he fizzled out with consecutive losses to two of the hardest hitting fighters in the world, but should that take away from the fact that he won four straight fights against top 10 competition after a 1-1 start to his career? He took the path of most resistance in his MMA career, brought a new audience to the sport, was the reason the UFC had a breakout run on pay-per-view from 2008-2010, and absolutely belongs in any hall of fame for the sport for those reasons.

[Brock Lesnar art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]