As we reported just moments ago, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar has signed a new contact with WWE and has officially closed the door on ever returning to professional mixed martial arts competition.
Below is a complete and detailed transcript of the entire interview between Lesnar and ESPN SportsCenter host Michelle Beadle and, late into the discussion, former WWE announcer-turned-ESPN analyst Jonathan Coachman.
THE DECISION
“It was a very hard decision for me. The fighter inside of me wants to compete. The father, the husband – I’m an older caveman now, so I make wiser caveman decisions. I’m here to say my legacy in the octagon is over. However, my legacy this Sunday at WrestleMania will not be my last.”
“I wanted it to be out of my mouth, I wanted people to hear me. it was a hard decision to make. I’ve thought about this for a year. At the end of the day it’s all about me wanting to have fun. The money is great, but the lifestyle… For me to get back into the octagon – for the last two months I’ve been training to get back into the octagon, and felt physically great, but something lacked mentally.”
BORN TO BE AN ENTERTAINER
“I talked with Dana [White], I talked to Lorenzo [Fertitta], I talked to Vince McMahon, I talked to my wife and my friends. I had many sleepless nights on what to do. At the end of the day, it weighed heavily on my heart that I was born to be an entertainer, and I have fun doing it.”
“I could go back to the octagon, but what do I have to gain? I was the UFC heavyweight champion of the world. Due to my illness my career got cut short” … “but as the years went by, it wore on me so much that the fighter inside of me didn’t want it to end that way. I didn’t want to leave the UFC on a losing streak.”
THE UFC DOOR IS CLOSED
“I’m officially closing the door on MMA. It was hard. It’s hard. I re-signed last night with the WWE. We came to a conclusion last night, and the offer on the table I just could not refuse.”
“I think it’s fair to the fans. It was my decision. I wanted to be fair to the fans, to know that on Sunday at WrestleMania I’m going home with that damn belt.”
“I went to the [Ronda] Rousey fight just to have that feeling. It wasn’t a contractual move, or a bartering pitch of any kind. For me, I just wanted to feel that energy, and it just so happened it was Ronda Rousey.”
“I LOVE… THE SQUARED CIRCLE”
“This wasn’t an overnight decision. This was a long heartfelt decision that you weigh out the pros, you weigh out the cons. Last night, ole’ Vince McMahon put the offer on the table that I couldn’t refuse. When it comes down to business and money, and health and well-being, I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum. I’ve been in a bad position with my health, I’ve been in a bad position with my money, and now I’m in a great position with both and I’m happy. I love what I’m doing. I work a limited schedule; part-time with full-time pay.”
“If you can’t watch me in the ring and not be entertained, and not think that I’m having any fun than there’s something definitely wrong. I love being in the squared circle, I always have. But I always hated the outside ambiance about everything else. There’s an old saying – ‘it’s all fake but the money and the miles’ and the miles were not good for me. Me and the highway just did not get along.”
