He told the MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd that he was poised to retire if he lost Friday after battling for two years the effects of the intestinal disease diverticulitis. Lesnar said if he won in Las Vegas, he would pursue a chance to recapture the belt he took from Randy Couture in 2008 and lost three title defenses later to Cain Velasquez in October 2010.
"Tonight is the last time you'll see me in the octagon," Lesnar said.
Said White: "I had no idea he was going to do that. There were no signs."
Some wonder if Lesnar, 34, would have bolted from the UFC if he could have beaten Overeem and Dos Santos, exiting with belt in hand.
There have been rumors dating to last year that Lesnar was exploring a return to WWE. He told The Times recently he wouldn't shy from doing business with Vince McMahon.
The WWE will start a new television network April 1 when it stages its annual Wrestlemania event in Miami, and it is feasible he could be added – with a UFC blessing – to appear at the event alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, John Cena and special guest Shaquille O'Neal
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He was never going to be the same after his surgery....he gave it his all and you gotta respect him for that. Shame because he still drew insane PPV numbers. Hopefully he shows up on some sort of WWE tv soon.