Challenges Faced by Brock Lesnar: Obstacles and Turning Points

Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Brock Lesnar. A timeline of obstacles and growth.

Brock Lesnar is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist celebrated for his achievements across various combat sports. He stands as the sole individual to have clinched primary heavyweight championships in WWE, UFC, NJPW, IGF, and NCAA. Currently under contract with WWE but on hiatus as of 2023, Lesnar's career highlights his dominance and versatility in both professional wrestling and mixed martial arts, solidifying his place as a prominent figure in the world of sports entertainment and combat sports.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

January 2001: Lesnar arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal substances

In January 2001, Brock Lesnar was arrested in Louisville, Kentucky, on suspicion of possessing illegal substances. The charges were dropped when the substances were identified as legal hormones.

2003: Feud with Goldberg and Title Loss

In late 2003, Brock Lesnar began a cross-brand feud with Goldberg, and later lost his WWE Championship to Eddie Guerrero after interference from Goldberg at No Way Out.

April 2004: Motorcycle accident and NFL pursuit

In April 2004, Brock Lesnar was injured in a motorcycle accident, suffering multiple injuries. Despite the setback, several NFL teams expressed interest and he worked out for the Minnesota Vikings in June.

2004: Feud with Goldberg

In 2004, Goldberg defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XX, marking a blemish on Lesnar's WWE career according to Paul Heyman.

July 2006: Stripped of IWGP Championship

In July 2006, NJPW stripped Brock Lesnar of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship due to visa issues that prevented him from returning to defend it, although he retained physical possession of the belt.

February 2, 2008: UFC Debut at UFC 81

On February 2, 2008, Brock Lesnar made his debut with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) at UFC 81 against Frank Mir. He lost via submission.

2009: Diverticulitis Diagnosis

In 2009, Brock Lesnar was sidelined with diverticulitis.

January 2, 2010: Lesnar's fight with Carwin rescheduled due to illness

On January 2, 2010, Lesnar's fight with Shane Carwin was rescheduled for UFC 108 due to an illness. Lesnar initially sought treatment in Canada, but criticized the care he received and claimed that seeking better treatment in the United States saved his life.

November 19, 2010: Lesnar's hunting infractions

On November 19, 2010, Lesnar was charged with hunting infractions on a trip to Alberta.

December 15, 2011: Lesnar charged with hunting infractions

On December 15, 2011, Brock Lesnar was charged with hunting infractions related to a trip to Alberta on November 19, 2010. He later pleaded guilty to the charge of improper tagging of an animal.

2011: Lesnar announces return to action and then retires from MMA

In the summer of 2011, Brock Lesnar announced his return to action. His return match was scheduled to be at UFC 141 on December 30. After being defeated by Alistair Overeem, Lesnar retired from MMA, citing his struggles with diverticulitis and said it was the last time he will be seen in the octagon.

July 15, 2016: Lesnar notified of potential anti-doping violation

On July 15, 2016, Brock Lesnar was notified by USADA of a potential anti-doping policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collected on June 28 that contained an undisclosed banned substance.

2018: Universal Championship Reign Ends

In 2018, after being threatened to be stripped of his title, Brock Lesnar defended his Universal Championship at SummerSlam. Roman Reigns capitalized on a distracted Lesnar and won the Universal Championship, ending Lesnar's title reign at 504 days.

January 2019: Lesnar has yet to pay the fine

As of January 2019, Lesnar has yet to pay the fine imposed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

2019: WWE Championship Victory and Feud with Cain Velasquez

In 2019, Brock Lesnar returned to SmackDown and quickly defeated Kofi Kingston to win his fifth WWE Championship on October 4. He then feuded with Cain Velasquez, defeating him at Crown Jewel before quitting SmackDown to pursue Rey Mysterio on Raw.

2024: Lesnar Pulled from WWE Plans Due to Allegations

In 2024, Brock Lesnar was removed from WWE's creative plans, including the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania XL, due to allegations in a lawsuit filed by Janel Grant. He was also removed from the WWE SuperCard video game and the cover of WWE 2K24's "40 Years of WrestleMania" edition. Additionally, he was removed from WWE's weekly programming introduction video.