TMZ Sports caught up with UFC head Dana White and got his thoughts on a couple pro wrestlers who’ve tried their hand at mixed martial arts with wildly different results.
Regarding Brock Lesnar, currently serving a suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission which will keep him from returning to the Octagon until at least July of 2017 as a result of positive drug tests which also changed the official result of his UFC 200 fight with Mark Hunt from “victory” to “no contest”, White is leaving the door open, but isn’t expecting a return from the Beast Incarnate:
I doubt it - I don’t know how much longer he’s got with WWE. I think his career is winding down but he’s a freak of nature. Who knows … maybe he’ll give me a call and say he wants to do it again but I think he’s ready to ride off into the sunset.
With Punk, who made his professional shoot fighting debut in a one-sided loss to Mickey Gall at UFC 203, it sounds more like Dana is trying to shut the door, but the Chicagoan insistence, and White’s respect for him, is keeping it from closing:
I don’t know. I’ve got to talk to him and see how this thing works out for him. UFC’s a dangerous place, man. It really is. It’s a tough place to come in for your first couple fights. I give him all the credit and respect in the world for coming in and giving it a shot. It’s a tough place to do it though. But we’ll see what happens. I love the guy.
White says he hasn’t talked to Brock, and makes it sounds like he hasn’t spoken to Punk, either (which doesn’t exactly line-up with the Straight-Edge Superstar’s version).
In the end, money talks, and if there’s a way to get either or both former WWE champs back in the Octagon which makes UFC money, Dana will probably figure out how to make it happen.
What do you think, Cagesiders? Have we seen the last of these two pro wrestlers in UFC?