Brock Lesnar is one of the most accomplished and versatile athletes of all time. He has achieved success in various fields of combat sports, such as wrestling, mixed martial arts, and American football. But which of these sports did he excel in the most? Was he a better football player or wrestler? Let’s take a look at his career highlights and compare his achievements in both sports.

Brock Lesnar: Football Career

Brock Lesnar had a dream of playing football since he was a high school student in Webster, South Dakota. He last played football as a high school senior in 1995¹. After graduating from the University of Minnesota as a NCAA Division I Heavyweight Champion in wrestling, he had the option of trying out for the National Football League (NFL) or signing with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE). He chose the latter and became one of the biggest stars in pro-wrestling history.

However, after two years of dominating the WWE scene, Lesnar decided to leave the company and pursue his football dream. He joined the Minnesota Vikings as a defensive tackle in 2004, despite having no college or professional football experience². He impressed many with his strength, speed, and athleticism, but he also struggled with injuries, technique, and discipline. He was involved in several fights during training camp and preseason games³.

Lesnar did not make the final cut for the Vikings’ 53-man roster and was released before the regular season started. He was offered a spot on the practice squad, but he declined. He also turned down offers from other NFL teams and from NFL Europe. He realized that he had started his football career too late and that he needed more time and training to succeed at that level⁴.

Brock Lesnar: Wrestling Career

Brock Lesnar’s wrestling career can be divided into two phases: his initial run from 2000 to 2004, and his return from 2012 to present. In both phases, he proved himself to be a dominant force and a box office attraction.

In his first phase, Lesnar rose to fame quickly after debuting on WWE’s main roster in 2002. He won the King of the Ring tournament and defeated The Rock to become the WWE Champion at age 25, making him the youngest WWE Champion in history at that time². He also won the 2003 Royal Rumble match and had memorable feuds with Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, Big Show, and Eddie Guerrero. He left WWE in 2004 after losing to Goldberg at WrestleMania XX.

In his second phase, Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012 after a successful stint in UFC, where he became the UFC Heavyweight Champion and a pay-per-view draw. He re-established himself as a top star in WWE by ending The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania XXX, defeating John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a one-sided match at SummerSlam 2014, and becoming the first person to hold both the WWE Universal Championship and the UFC Heavyweight Championship simultaneously². He also won the 2019 Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match and had epic battles with Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, Drew McIntyre, and others.

Apart from his WWE career, Lesnar also wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in 2005 and 2006, where he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first match. He was stripped of the title due to contractual disputes and left NJPW in 2006².

Conclusion

Based on his career achievements and longevity, it is clear that Brock Lesnar was a better wrestler than a football player. He has won multiple championships and accolades in wrestling, both amateur and professional, and has been a main event performer for almost two decades. He has also been one of the most popular and profitable stars in wrestling history.

On the other hand, his football career was short-lived and unsuccessful. He failed to make an impact in the NFL and did not pursue other opportunities in football. He admitted that he was not cut out for football and that he regretted leaving wrestling for it⁴.

Therefore, we can conclude that Brock Lesnar made the right choice by choosing wrestling over football. He has achieved more fame, fortune, and glory in wrestling than he ever could in football. He is truly a wrestling legend and a beast incarnate.

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References and sources for this article:

¹: Brock Lesnar’s NFL career- what exactly happened to the WWE superstar? – Sportskeeda

²: Brock Lesnar – Wikipedia

³: Brock Lesnar destroyed everything in sight during his NFL career before returning to WWE and UFC – The Sun

⁴: How long did Brock Lesnar play in the NFL? Exploring WWE megastar’s short-lived pro football career – Sportskeeda

1. sportskeeda.com 2. en.wikipedia.org 3. sportskeeda.com 4. the-sun.com 5. wwe.com 6. dazn.com 7. thesportster.com