mma / Columns

411 Fact or Fiction MMA: Is a Possible Brock Lesnar UFC Return Surprising?

July 26, 2017 | Posted by Lorenzo Vasquez

Welcome back to another edition of 411 Fact or Fiction MMA! I’m your host, Lorenzo Vasquez III, and it is my pleasure to bring you another round of 411 Fact or Fiction MMA. Thank you, for your votes and comments last week, it is appreciated and encouraged. Last week, Dan Plunkett tried to once again up root and hand Dino Zee his first defeat. They locked horns over Gegard Mousasi jumping ship to Bellator MMA, Fabricio Werdum appealing his decision loss to Alistair Overeem, and Conor McGregor getting other boxing offers after his bout with Floyd Mayweather in addition to more. Dan walked in with a solid game plan but was unable to unhinge Dino. Congratulations Dino on your 18-to-14 victory. And, thank you both for your efforts and contribution.

This week, Mark Radulich will try to avenge his loss as he takes on your host, the “Corpse Grinder.” We will lock horns over the idea of Kelvin Gastelum going back down to welterweight, Jimmie Rivera calling out Dominick Cruz, Brock Lesnar coming back for one more, and much more! Go grab some grub and strap in because it’s time for another round of, 411 Fact or Fiction MMA! Let’s get it started…

TALE OF THE TAPE
RED CORNER
Lorenzo “Corpse Grinder” Vasquez III
Host/Contributor, 411 MMA Zone
8-5-0

VS

BLUE CORNER
Mark “Headshrinker” Radulich
Supreme Overlord,
Radulich in Broadcasting Network

5-6-0


Despite his loss, Kelvin Gastelum’s performance against Chris Weidman indicates he should stay at middleweight rather than go back down to welterweight as he wishes to do.

Lorenzo Vasquez III: FACT Kelvin Gastelum is one helluva competitor. He has technique, he has power, and he has grit. At 170-pounds he is a force to be reckoned with. However, he’s missed weight three times at that weight. On one occasion he was 10-pounds over, and on another, he didn’t even attempt to formally weigh-in because he was well over 170-pounds. He’s burnt that bridge for the time being. I don’t think we should completely rule out a return to 170 but, at the moment, I have no faith in his ability to make the welterweight limit. To add, his run at middleweight hasn’t been uninspiring. He brutalized Tim Kennedy and came close to stopping the former middleweight champ, Chris Weidman. He is somewhat outsized as a top ten middleweight but he looks strong and his power carries over. Chris Weidman is a strong wrestler and hard puncher and Gastelum was holding his own against the former champ. I do see him struggling against the likes of Yoel Romero, Jacare Souza, Luke Rockhold, and Robert Whittaker but he has the tools to beat them as he proved in his recent bouts.

Mark Radulich: FACT Given that the man has missed weight a few times at welterweight It is not advisable to return to welterweight. I think he does just fine at middleweight and trying to game the system at a different weight class, generally speaking, doesn’t go well, especially as fighters get older. He’s better off staying at middleweight.


Jimmie Rivera’s showing at UFC on FOX 25 tells us he is more than capable of defeating Dominick Cruz or T.J. Dillashaw.

Lorenzo Vasquez III: FICTION Rivera gave us a great show at UFC on FOX 25. It was a back and forth war against Thomas Almeida. Almeida is a great competitor and a finisher. The problem is, Almeida is no top five bantamweight and he gave Rivera a run for his money a few times. Rivera won a clear cut decision but Almeida was not without his own moments in the fights. I’d expect a fighter capable of beating Dillashaw or Cruz to slice through Almeida like a hot knife slicing through butter. Think, Cody Garbrandt. Both Almeida and Rivera are growing fighters. They should improve as time marches on and, eventually, maybe Rivera gets to the point where he is a legitimate threat to fighters the likes of Dillashaw and Cruz. He is on the cusp of getting there but the Rivera we saw Saturday night would probably get out paced and point by Dillashaw or Cruz. Rivera can talk about sparring a who’s who of top five fighters but it’s the showing in the octagon that counts. He’s looked good but he has to keep it up against the higher tier fighters.

Mark Radulich: FACT Rivera is on a hot streak and that kind of momentum can definitely give him an advantage over Cruz or Dillashaw.


It’s disappointing to hear Stipe Miocic’s last two opponents were paid more than he was and he should hold out on defending the heavyweight strap until he is offered a more lucrative contract.

Lorenzo Vasquez III: FACT Sure it is and he should definitely push for a more lucrative contract. The guy is the champ, the heavyweight champ. He delivers. He gets in there and fights fire with fire. He moves forward and grinds much like Cain Velasquez. I understand how this UFC contract stuff works. It’s simple: make noise, deliver, and bring in the numbers. Maybe, this isn’t Miocic’s modus operandi and maybe he shouldn’t be making more than his challengers if he isn’t as big a seller as them, but the man certainly deserves a more lucrative contract.

Mark Radulich: FICTION Look I like Stipe as much as any heavyweight but he’s not the draw some of his fellow heavyweights are. Holding out for more money isn’t going to change that. I’d like to see him become more of a draw but right now, even with being champion, he’s a middle tier attraction.


SWITCH!

In hindsight, Chris Weidman should have never been doubted as his losses were not a result of being out classed but, rather, making a single mistake that cost him the fights.

Mark Radulich: FICTION That’s a lame excuse. He was finished in all of his previous 3 fights. On those nights he was in fact out classed. This win over Gastelum doesn’t undo all of that. He still needs to fight a few more times to pull himself out of the gutter.

Lorenzo Vasquez III: FICTION I will agree, Chris Weidman should have never been doubted. He’s a former champion, has the wrestling, the submission dexterity, and punching power to beat any middleweight. He is not an aged fighter. I will say, however, that he may have lost a notch after the beating he took from Luke Rockhold. Still, you can’t doubt him, not yet. As far as the rest of the statement is concerned, not all of his three losses are a result of a single mistake with exception to Luke Rockhold (he was outclassed by Rockhold due to his mistake). I’m sure we will never see Weidman throw another wheel kick again. That wheel kick was a single mistake that cost Weidman dearly. Against Yoel Romero, Weidman did not make a mistake. He dropped for a takedown and Romero countered with a knee from hell. And, we all know what happened with Gegard Mousasi.


The fact that Robert Whittaker sustained a major (a grade two MCL injury) knee injury during his fight with Yoel Romero makes his victory more impressive and highlights the fact that Romero never had the conditioning and determination to win a five round war.

Mark Radulich: FACT Yoel Romero was known for his KO power, not his conditioning so this doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s a very impressive victory and one that he should be very proud of. In the meantime, Romero needs to work on his conditioning and he might need to lose a little bit of muscle weight.

Lorenzo Vasquez III: FACT Whittaker deserves tremendous credit for beating a foe like Romero with an injured knee. It’s a testament to his heart and skill. I’m not convinced Romero lacked determination. To get to his position and level takes a large amount of determination. He did lack the conditioning to go five rounds and the fact that he could not capitalize on Whittaker’s injury highlights it. Sure Whittaker had the defense and offense to hinder Romero’s attack but he was a wounded bull and Romero didn’t have the output to take advantage. Romero has always struggled with his conditioning when he couldn’t put his foe away early and he should have changed things up to improve his conditioning instead of coming up with the idea that taking the fourth round off was how to win the fight.


You’re not surprised the UFC and Brock Lesnar may be plotting the big man’s return, as the UFC may, in fact, be in need of, the attention and sales Lesnar can bring.

Mark Radulich: FACT No I’m not surprised at all. Lesnar is an attraction. He’s great to bring in for short spurts. For Lesnar’s sake, I think he prefers the occasional marquee fight rather than being a full-time fighter.

Lorenzo Vasquez III: FACT You shouldn’t be surprised at all. Lesnar brings in a large crowd which in turn equals a large sum of money. As long as Lesnar wants to fight the UFC will continue to give him fights here and there. Plus, I don’t think Lesnar wants his last fight to be marred in controversy so it’s not surprising he would want to do it again and end on his terms.


So who won? Did Mark avenge his loss or was do I have his number? You’ve got until midnight eastern on Saturday to vote, so make sure you make your voice heard!


And that’s it for today but, as always, we’ll be back next week with another contest! And please, be sure to vote!

Do you have comments and questions you’d like to get to me, or statements you’d like to see on 411 Fact or Fiction MMA, shoot me an email at:
[email protected]

Also, follow 411’s various and sundry zones on Twitter for your daily 411 fix!

411 Wrestling Zone Twitter
411 Movies/TV Zone Twitter
411 Music Zone Twitter
411 Games Zone Twitter
411 MMA Zone Twitter