NEXT Brock Lesnar vs. Roy "Big Country" Nelson???

By: Oliver Saenz
Source: www.fighters.com
November 2, 2010

A large number of people are wondering what’s next for Brock Lesnar, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion that has just recently fallen so hard from grace after receiving a humbling beating courtesy of new Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez. Opinions seem to be mixed, as they always are when talks turn to Lesnar, with some boldly proclaiming that Lesnar will be champion again before 2011 is through while others believe he’ll go running back to the WWE with his tail between his legs and face the Undertaker at WrestleMania. Not only do I think that Brock Lesnar will stay in the UFC, I also think I have the perfect next opponent for him: the winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10, former IFL champion “Big Country” Roy Nelson.

There are several reasons why I think Lesnar vs. Nelson would be a great match-up. First and foremost, Roy Nelson is ready for the best and he’s hungry to get back inside the Octagon now that his bout with Shane Carwin has fallen apart. And Lesnar finds himself in almost the exact same spot as the man he so famously submitted: with his back against the wall, needing to prove quite a lot in his next bout. If Roy Nelson fit the mold as the best opponent Shane Carwin could face to both get a huge win over and prove himself against, and Brock Lesnar fits Shane Carwin’s mold, then Lesnar/Nelson is more common sense than fantasy match-making.

Plus, let’s be honest here, it’s a fantastic aesthetic. These two couldn’t possibly be more different. It would be quite a spectacle to see the hulking Viking goliath take on the curly-haired big-bellied brawler. I wouldn’t call this a “freakshow” match despite the huge difference in the physiques of both men, though. I think both Lesnar and Nelson have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they belong in the UFC. This has the potential to be a fantastic fight based solely on the strengths of both men, seeing the disparity in body builds between the man that’s seemingly carved out of granite and the man who carves a path through Burger King would only be a bonus.

Another interesting thing about this match is that both men have all the tools necessary to win and win big. If Lesnar can avoid Nelson’s stand-up, he could probably take Nelson down through sheer force alone. Nelson doesn’t come from a wrestling background, and he certainly doesn’t have the wrestling pedigree that Cain Velasquez has. Lesnar’s takedowns only looked so bad against Velasquez because Velasquez himself is such an amazing wrestler, against Roy Nelson Lesnar’s dreaded Ground and Pound could end up working beautifully and scoring him a major and dominant win.

However, Roy Nelson has good stand-up and a vastly under-appreciated ground game. He also has an extremely solid chin, as seen in his recent bout with Junior dos Santos. I think Nelson has proved that he does have KO power, and I also think that Lesnar has proven unable to cope with the pressure of being rocked. If Nelson can clip Lesnar, I think “Big Country” may actually have it in him to take out the Vanilla Gorilla. Also, Lesnar would be wise to not sleep on Big Country’s ground game. Lesnar’s ground game is so effective because he can put so much weight on you, but the same holds true for Nelson. And if Lesnar tries to power out from underneath Nelson’s girth through sheer force alone, he may leave himself open to a submission.

Ultimately, I think this fight would be too close to call and that’s why I’d love to see it. It’s not a matter of me giving Lesnar more credit or Nelson more credit, I think it’s more about me giving both men the credit they deserve. Both men are highly gifted and very competitive athletes. Styles make fights while personalities sell tickets, and this match-up has the potential to be one of the best and biggest of 2011.

Other possibilities for Brock Lesnar next fight

Brock Lesnar Vs. Frank Mir III

In addition, the loss caused Mir to start power lifting with a vengeance for a period of time in an attempt to ready himself to take on the powerful former pro wrestler in the future. Of course, Lesnar played a role in the bad blood as well, taunting Mir after his UFC 100 win and saying the following after the fight:

“Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his a–. I told him that a year ago. I pulled the sum b—- out and beat him over the head with it.”

In other words, Frank Mir is the most likely next step for Lesnar, as the history will produce some very powerful pre-fight hype. Besides, Mir still likely wants this one badly.

Brock Lesnar Vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira