Lesnar’s medical ‘miracle’ could have him back by summer
Jan 20, 2010 | by MattE | No CommentsBy Matt Erickson
cagedin.mma@gmail.com
UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, who has been out for months with a serious set of stomach ailments, is healthy and expects to return to the Octagon by this summer.
Lesnar and UFC president Dana White made the announcement Wednesday morning on ESPN’s “Sportscenter” and will hold a conference call with the media later Wednesday to discuss his return.
Classifying his recovery as a “miracle,” Lesnar gave a lengthy description of the illnesses that have kept him out of action since a title defense against Frank Mir at UFC 100 last July. He said he was first diagnosed with mononucleosis, then diverticulitis. The illness forced him out of his planned title defense against Shane Carwin for UFC 106 last November — and at various points White even said Lesnar might never be able to fight again.
Lesnar told ESPN he lost 40 pounds during his illness and after getting multiple opinions on the possibility of stomach surgery, doctors ultimately wanted to see if a series of medications would help. And it did.
Lesnar said doctors were “dumbfounded” that he had healed — and he said a recent return to the hospital for a CT scan confirmed he was healthy and ready to go.
In the meantime, White and the UFC set up an interim heavyweight title fight several weeks ago between Mir and Carwin for March 27 at UFC 111 in Newark, N.J. White said Wednesday he is hopeful the winner of that fight would then meet Lesnar this summer in his return.
But despite that interim title fight, Lesnar was adamant he’s the champ.
“Let me be clear about that: I am still the heavyweight champion,” Lesnar said.
» Posted in: News» Tagged: UFC
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