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Brock Lesnar has ended all talk linking him with a return to the UFC heavyweight division, opening the door for yet another new contract with WWE. The former UFC heavyweight and WWE Universal champion had looked set to be returning to the Octagon this summer to face current champ Daniel Cormier, but according to independent.co.uk, UFC president Dana White has now come out to claim Lesnar has told him he won't be stepping back into the world of mixed martial arts this year.
Lesnar would have been an interesting match for Cormier, despite being at longer odds of 11/4 at Betway to defeat the defending champion. Such odds would have made this a good opportunity to take advantage of a free bet through BonusFinder.com, but with Lesnar now not an option, it's looking as though Cormier will defend his title against former champion Stipe Miocic this summer.
Without the prospect of an MMA return, Lesnar is now looking at quite a sizeable gap in his schedule. While the 41-year old has made no secret of his love of hiding away with his family in Regina, Saskatchewan, it's hard to see Lesnar being happy to spend most of the year hunting and lifting weights in the mountains. Now, nobody is claiming Lesnar will be returning to WWE's full-time schedule; however, it's looking more and more likely that he will now be around for a number of the organisation's major pay-per-view events such as SummerSlam and Survivor Series.
"2014-04-06_20-21-56_NEX-6_9880_DxO" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Miguel Discart (Photos Vrac)
Lesnar, perhaps more than most modern WWE superstars, has transcended the world of professional wrestling. But while Lesnar could make huge amounts of money in Hollywood or back in the UFC cage, he may still feel that committing to WWE gives him the life he wants, one in which he can dictate what he does and when for much of the time. WWE have always insisted they are bigger than any one star, but the fact remains that Lesnar is a hugely popular figure who attracts television audiences like no other.
In terms of WWE, it remains to be seen how they will use Lesnar if he does commit himself to a new contract. Having lost the WWE Universal title to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 35, it's likely his next match will be on June 7 when the organisation returns to Saudi Arabia. It's certainly hard to imagine Lesnar not being in consideration for another shot at the Universal title if he does remain on Raw. The thought of Lesnar stepping over to Smackdown looks unlikely, although the move to Fox in October could change the landscape.
"2014-04-06_20-18-45_NEX-6_DSC09867" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Miguel Discart (Photos Vrac)
And then there is the growing presence of upstart All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and their expanding roster, as reported by gamespot.com. Make no mistake, Lesnar's focus throughout his career has been on looking after himself, his family, and his finances - something you certainly can't criticise him for. If AEW throws enough money in his direction, Lesnar may feel he has nothing left to achieve in WWE, and this is the right time to cash in on his popularity and make the move to the ambitious AEW. If he does become available, there could be a huge battle to secure his services, and, as ever, Lesnar would be the man who wins.
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