Will Brock Lesnar Ever Return to UFC? Dana White Responds

Four months after losing to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141, Brock Lesnar made his return to WWE. Showing up on the Monday Night Raw after WWE WrestleMania 28, Lesnar immediately reinserted himself back into WWE's main event scene by attacking John Cena. This kicked off what was expected to be a three-year run for Lesnar, as his initial WWE return contract was a part-time schedule going that duration. When 2015 rolled around, Lesnar re-signed another three-year deal, keeping him on WWE's books until April 2018. Despite all signs indicating that he would exit in favor of a UFC return come that deal's expiration, Lesnar has been in WWE ever since.

Has Brock Lesnar's UFC Ship Sailed?

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, UFC President Dana White complimented Brock Lesnar's current in-ring shape but certified that he does not believe he will step back inside the octagon.

"Brock looks good, doesn't he? He always does. I think Brock's done," White said. "I don't think he ever comes back."

Lesnar previously teased locking up with Daniel Cormier in 2018. Following Cormier's victory over Stipe Miocic, Lesnar entered the octagon from the crowd and shoved Cormier, seemingly setting up a future bout. That match never materialized.

White had said previously that he hoped to book Lesnar in a heavyweight dream match against Fedor Emelianenko. Emelianenko boasts an MMA record of 40-7-1 and is widely regarded as the most prominent fighter to never compete in UFC.

"I've made every fight that was ever possible to make in MMA including Mayweather and McGregor. The only fight that I ever failed to make was Fedor vs. Brock," White said in 2022. "Every other fight that we ever thought about or fans wanted to see or whatever it was, I made. That's probably the one I couldn't pull off."

Brock Lesnar's Last UFC Match

Lesnar's most famous UFC run stretched from 2007 until 2011. He fought seven times during that five-year span, defeating the legendary Randy Couture to become UFC Heavyweight Champion in November 2008. He went on to have successful defenses against the likes of Frank Mir and Shane Carwin before losing the gold to Cain Velasquez in October 2010.

Five years after his last match, Lesnar returned to the octagon to face Mark Hunt at UFC 200. This was an unprecedented bout as it occurred in the middle of his WWE run, taking place right between his WWE WrestleMania 32 contest against Dean Ambrose (April 2016) and his WWE SummerSlam bout versus Randy Orton (August 2016).

Lesnar initially defeated Hunt, but the result was overturned to a no contest due to Lesnar failing a pair of drug tests. He had tested positive for anti-estrogen drugs clomiphene and hydroxy-clomiphene. This led to Lesnar being fined $250,000 and being suspended for one year.