White: UFC ‘not close at all’ to Lesnar deal
Dana White: “Not very close at all…We’d known that Brock was probably going to take a pass and go back to wrestling, which was the right move.”
For months it was speculated the Brock Lesnar was possibly negotiating with the UFC for a return to the Octagon. Although there was some discussion, according to the UFC they were never close to a deal:
Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar closed the book for good on his mixed martial arts career last month, announcing that an eleventh-hour offer from WWE owner Vince McMahon was enough to convince him to re-sign with the industry leader.
The news shot down any hopes the UFC had at reclaiming the pay-per-view giant, and though Lesnar appeared conflicted in the lead-up to his decision, UFC President Dana White says the UFC was never actually that close to landing Lesnar.
“Not very close at all,” White told radio host Chad Dukes on 106.7 The Fan on Thursday. “We’d known that Brock was probably going to take a pass and go back to wrestling, which was the right move. You know, Brock came in here, he did incredible things and he got a great deal from Vince (McMahon). He’s 38 years old, man. It makes all the sense in the world.”