Brock Lesnar is one of the most decorated professional athletes of all time. He first came to notice as a teenager in the amateur wrestling circuit. He is a two-time NCAA All-American and has an amateur wrestling record of 106-5. Lesnar then moved on to the world of professional wrestling and became the WWE champion in short succession.
However, Lesnar was not a fan of the grueling schedule of the WWE and tried out his hand at football. Although he had a great NFL combine score, Lesnar did not make the cut as a defensive tackle Minnesota Vikings in 2004. It then prompted him to use his amateur wrestling as a base and make his MMA debut. By the time he had his last fight against Mark Hunt at UFC 200, Lesnar already had the UFC heavyweight title at his disposal.
But a bout with diverticulitis cut his fighting career short. He went under the knife to remove about 12 inches of his colon in 2011. UFC commentator Joe Rogan often jokes that Lesnar has Viking DNA. So the surgery could not hold him back for too long and Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012 and had the most successful stint of his pro-wrestling career.
His persona makes him a scary presence in the ring. From his cold stares to his massive physical frame to his reputation as a stiff worker, Lesnar is a larger-than-life personality. What adds more to his character of “The Beast Incarnate,” are his famous tattoos. So how many tattoos does he have and what do they mean? Let’s find out.
Brock Lesnar reveals why he got the sword tattoo
Whenever fans take a look at Brock Lesnar, the very first tattoo they notice, is the sword that points right at his throat. The tattoo starts just above his belly button and ends right underneath his throat. When Lesnar walks out to the ring or the Octagon, it just gives the fans a sense that he means business. But, the tattoo is not just for aesthetics as it has a much darker meaning behind it.
According to Body Art Guru, a New York-based tattoo artist called Jimmy DiResta was the author behind that art. Revealing the actual story behind the tattoo, Lesnar said it was more memorabilia than art. Apparently, at the time of getting the tattoo, Lesnar was in a very rough situation in his life. Hence, he wanted the tattoo to remind him of his life.
Lesnar wrote, “I felt like life was holding a sword right up against my throat, so I went under the ink gun because I never wanted to forget exactly how I felt at that time. The tattoo on my chest has so much meaning to me. In some ways, it’s funny, because the period of my life that I’m talking about is a time I so want to forget, but I know I can use this memory as motivation.”
Lesnar has five tattoos in total
The most noticeable tattoo on his back is that of a demonic skull. However, if fans notice the tattoo closely, there is a sword driving through the skull. As the Body Art Guru report explained, skull tattoos are usually there to signify strength, protection and more importantly, overcoming death. As fans know, Lesnar escaped death in 2011 when he was going under the knife for diverticulitis.
On top of the skull tattoo, there are two hands on either side of his upper back. The hands can be seen holding meat hooks. Lesnar is a big fan of hunting and holds an interest in the art of butchering. Perhaps the tattoo is an homage to that. But, underneath the skull tattoo, Lesnar has tattooed the words, “Kill ‘Em All.” It is a reference to his favorite band Metallica.
The rock band’s first album was “Kill ‘Em All,” which came out in 1983. Lesnar used to pick “Enter Sandman” from the band as his walkout song in the UFC. Other than those three tattoos on his back, Lesnar has two more tattoos on the opposite ends of his both shoulders.
On his left shoulder, he has a tattoo of “Yautja” from the movie The Predator. Yautja is the iconic monster from “The Predator” franchise. At last, on his right shoulder, there is a tattoo of another skull, which is a reference to the horrors his opponents go through inside the ring or the Octagon.
