UFC President Dana White dispelled all potential rumors that former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar may retire during a media conference call on Friday.
After losing his title to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 this past October, Lesnar's well-documented diverticulitis returned. As a result, Lesnar was forced to withdraw from a planned UFC 131 meeting with Junior dos Santos to undergo surgery on May 27.
Since going under the knife a second time to combat his persistent intestinal disorder, Lesnar's condition has been kept relatively private. According to White, however, rumors of the fighter retiring are unfounded, as Lesnar is now back to full strength.
“That's ridiculous. That's so far from the truth, it's not even funny,” White told the media on Friday. “He's been working up on a farm in Canada all summer. He's back to 100 percent, and he's getting back into training in the next couple of weeks.”
Lesnar captured the heavyweight title in just his fourth professional bout. A former NCAA champion at the University of Minnesota and later a star in pro-wrestling, Lesnar debuted with the UFC in 2008, losing by submission to Frank Mir at UFC 81. The monstrous heavyweight would rebound from the defeat, however, notching victories over Heath Herring and Randy Couture to win the heavyweight championship.
The former Golden Gopher would defend the belt successfully twice, battering Mir in July 2009 before being struck by his first bout with diverticulitis that fall. Lesnar was forced to withdraw from a planned UFC 106 showdown with Shane Carwin, but the 34-year-old would return to the Octagon the following summer, finishing Carwin with an arm-triangle choke at UFC 116.
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