Brock Lesnar is one of the most feared athletes in the world of combat sports. ‘The Beast Incarnate’ was able to cultivate a Hall of Fame-worthy career in both the UFC and the WWE. Lesnar won the UFC Heavyweight Championship once and the WWE Championship multiple times in his career.
While fans are used to seeing Brock Lesnar dominate his opponents, many are unaware of the fact that he almost died due to a serious medical condition. In 2009, Lesnar was diagnosed with diverticulitis which is a disease in the digestive tract. Lesnar’s condition was so serious that he had to undergo surgery.
The MMA star reportedly was unaware of this condition and he kept fighting in the UFC while he had the disease. Doctors also found out that Lesnar had another condition called mononucleosis.
Following his surgery in 2009, Lesnar returned to the Octagon thinking that he had recovered from the condition. He then competed in two UFC fights in 2010. In 2011, Lesnar found out that the diverticulitis had returned. He then had another surgery where a foot of his colon was removed by the doctors.
Brock Lesnar says he might still be in the UFC if not for diverticulitis https://t.co/glbSm9oEJe pic.twitter.com/zhmXnFWvWt
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) October 20, 2015
It is unclear how Lesnar contracted diverticulitis but some believe that he may have used painkillers and this caused the condition. It is commonly used by Mixed Martial Artists but there is no confirmation on whether Lesnar had taken painkillers.
How did diverticulitis affect Brock Lesnar’s career and life?
The serious medical condition did have a huge impact on Brock Lesnar’s UFC career. Following his second surgery, Lesnar returned to the UFC in 2011 and fought Alistair Overeem but he ended up losing. Lesnar found out that his opponents kept targeting his abdomen during fights and this led to him stepping away from the octagon.
Would Brock Lesnar Still Be In The UFC if it Weren’t for Diverticulitis? https://t.co/IUYegZu5ml pic.twitter.com/HXCT9IwP0W
— MMA Latest (@MMALatestDVLR) October 21, 2015
In his book ‘Death Clutch,’ Brock Lesnar opened up about how diverticulitis affected him. “I have a high threshold for pain, higher than most guys, and I couldn’t deal with it. It felt like I had taken a shotgun blast to the stomach, and then someone poured in some salt and Tabasco and stirred it all up with a nasty pitchfork.” he wrote.
Lesnar made his much-anticipated return to the WWE in 2012. The Beast Incarnate was able to achieve tremendous success in the Stamford-based promotion. He won the WWE and Universal Championship on multiple occasions during his second WWE run. He also did the unthinkable and broke the Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania 30.
In 2016, Lesnar made his return to the UFC and defeated Mark Hunt. He was then suspended for using a banned substance. He announced his MMA retirement in 2017. It looks like the veteran superstar is nearing the end of his professional wrestling career as well.
That Brock Lesnar vs. Omos video package for #WrestleMania was pretty damn cool.#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/qTQWHEcyoY
— PW Chronicle (@_PWChronicle) March 21, 2023
Lesnar is currently scheduled to face “The Nigerian Giant” Omos at WrestleMania 39. Fans are now eagerly waiting to see what the future will hold for the legendary athlete in his career.