Since rising to fame in 2002 as the youngest WWE champion in history, Brock Lesnar has remained one of the most prominent figures in sports. After conquering the world of professional wrestling, he seamlessly transitioned to MMA, a move few have successfully managed, with his NCAA Division I wrestling background helping him adapt seamlessly. Just four fights into his mixed martial arts career, Lesnar captured the UFC heavyweight title, cementing his status as a crossover phenomenon.
However, rumors are now swirling that Lesnar’s days in both WWE and the UFC may be over. Why? Because Daniel Cormier recently revealed that Lesnar is entangled in an ongoing legal battle that has put him at odds with his superiors. Adding fuel to the speculation, Chael Sonnen has offered further insight, suggesting Lesnar’s strained relationship with WWE media may also be a factor.
Sonnen begins by describing Lesnar as a “very special guy” and an “intense performer,” emphasizing that Lesnar has always stayed committed to the persona, or “gimmick,” he created over decades. According to Sonnen, the 48-year-old avoiding public relations or media appearances isn’t an act of defiance but rather a deliberate choice to maintain his mystique.
Doing press would, in Sonnen’s words, “would go against the very persona he’s spent over 20 years building.” Moreover, according to Sonnen, the WWE media made Brock Lesnar so uncomfortable that he eventually stopped speaking altogether.
Sonnen then takes aim at the WWE media, suggesting they contributed to Lesnar’s discomfort to the point where he chose silence over engagement. “They’re so uncomfortable with the word ‘s*xting’ that they’ll bury Brock in an interview, even years later,” Sonnen continued. “And all they have to do is tell the story. If you’re going to do the print, you’ve got to have the awkward conversation. You’re reporting something as news today, but no one reports news from two years ago. It doesn’t work that way.”
US PRESSWIRE Sports Dec. 30, 2011; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Brock Lesnar during a heavyweight bout at UFC 141
Finally, Sonnen challenges the validity of the allegations themselves, asserting that not only is the media being immature about the topic, but that they also know, “there’s not a story there.” So while the WWE media may have made Brock Lesnar uncomfortable, it’s worth noting that he earned more with WWE than he ever did in the UFC.
Brock Lesnar’s WWE earnings dwarfed UFC millions
The former WWE Champion made the leap to the UFC after leaving professional wrestling. Although Brock Lesnar lost his MMA debut, he quickly bounced back with a winning streak that turned him into a major pay-per-view attraction and eventually led to him capturing the UFC Heavyweight Championship. During his time with the promotion, Lesnar became one of the highest-paid fighters in the sport, earning millions for his performances inside the Octagon. Still, his UFC payouts were modest compared to what he would later earn in the world of wrestling.
In case you weren’t aware, Brock Lesnar is actually considered one of the UFC’s top earners of all time, with estimates placing his total MMA income at around $24 million. And this includes a base pay of $5.25 million across his eight fights and an estimated $19 million from pay-per-view revenue. Ultimately, as his profile grew, so did his earnings, but even at their peak, they were dwarfed by the staggering sums he would go on to make in WWE. How, you ask?
Following his appearance at UFC 200, Brock Lesnar hinted at more fights but never returned to the cage, instead re-signing with WWE on a massive deal. There, he was recognized as one of the company’s marquee stars when he rejected further UFC bouts in favor of a 2018 WWE contract. Since then, he has signed several extensions, with reports suggesting his annual salary ranged between $12 and $16 million. As WWE surged in popularity following its merger under TKO, Lesnar’s total earnings with the company are now estimated at around $150 million, vastly eclipsing his UFC income. That said, what are your thoughts on Brock Lesnar’s career? And, what are your thoughts on Chael Sonnen’s comments?
The post Daniel Cormier’s UFC Partner Reveals Why Brock Lesnar Never Made Friends With the WWE Media appeared first on EssentiallySports.