Bobby Lashley destroys Bob Sapp, why isn't Lashley in the UFC?

by Zak Woods on Jun 29, 2009 10:20 AM EDT Comment 5 comments

Bobby Lashley's first round tour-de-force victory over Bob "The Beast" Sapp has earned the still green MMA fighter some significant praise and rightfully so.

For a fighter that is still learning on the job Lashley has made good on every opportunity presented him. He is now 4-0 in a career that is just over six months old.

Despite Lashley's success there is a glaring dichotomy staring all MMA fans in the face, Brock Lesnar's position in the UFC versus Lashley's absence.

WKR has touched on this subject before, Lashley and Lesnar career arcs are nearly identical though there are differences in timing (Lesnar was signed by the UFC during the Randy Couture saga and before fans were aware of the big-three prospects). Despite the difference in timing the similarities run deep: both men are just over thirty with exceptional athleticism for heavyweights. Both were dominate collegiate wrestlers as well as being WWE stars (Lesnar more so than Lashley) and both are still learning mixed martial arts on the job. Yet Lesnar is in the UFC and fought for the UFC heavyweight title after winning just one fight in the promotion, where as Lashley is stuck in the minors.

How is it that two men with nearly identical resumes are in such different places within their career? WKR already touched on the issue of timing and Lesnar's brighter star in the WWE, but that doesn't change the fundamental skill sets of each fighter of which Lesnar and Lashley appear identical.

It is not like the UFC doesn't need more athletic heavyweights (hell, they just need more capable heavyweights) thus the question remains how can one be a champion while the other be in the minors?

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he is looking to go out east since the ufc wont sign him yet

by Zach Krantz on Jun 29, 2009 10:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

BloodyElbow had an article on this the other day.
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/6/27/926967/can-bobby-lashley-save-affliction

For one thing, he’s not quite the athlete Lesnar is. Lesnar was the 2000 NCAA national champion as a heavyweight. Lashley was the NAIA national in 1997 and 1998 at 177 pounds. I’m not making light of Lashley’s accomplishments, winning the NAIA national championship is a serious accomplishment but winning the NCAA’s is a much bigger accomplishment.
Also Lashley is not naturally as big and strong as Lesnar. He’s very big and strong but Lesnar cuts weight to make 265, Lashley weighs in around 255 and has bulked up enormously since his college wrestling days. Lesnar has put on muscle as well, but proportionally much less.
Then there’s the evidence of their MMA fights. Let’s face it, Brock Lesnar is a freaking prodigy and Lashley isn’t. Lashley is a serious prospect, but that’s all he is. In his third MMA fight, Lesnar was sending Heath Herring ass-over-feet across the ring with one punch. In his second MMA fight, Lashley struggled to win a decision over an overweight light heavyweight in Jason Guida.

by agentsmith on Jun 29, 2009 10:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lashley isn’t quite the physical freak that Lesnar is but when compared to the rest of the UFC hw’s Lashley is a physical freak.

Also I am not sold on Lesnar being a “prodigy” in the sense that he is uber talented MMA fighter. More that he is just an uber athlete in a division short on athletes.

watchkalibrun.com

by Zak Woods on Jun 29, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because he's not Brock Lesnar

I don’t think Lashley is anywhere near as skilled as Lesnar at this point in their respective careers…Lesanar was signed based on his popularity and amateur wrestling background…not to mention he trained MMA almost 2 years before having his first fight…so the gamble to sign him was a good move….

Whereas Lashley isn’t as skilled nor as popular as Lesnar. I think it’s smart of Dana White to not sign him at this point…it would take his whole contract(3-4 fights) for him to get the experience he needs to develop…Zuffa can afford to let someone else foot that bill/gamble….if they want Lashley in the future…they can get him simply because he’s stated that’s where he wants to fight.

The UFC was fortunate in that a lot was learned about Lesnar in the Heath Herring fight…however, Lashley has yet to fight a credible opponent like that and show what he’s capable of….so a lot of questions remain about what Lashley can do…

It’s not like Dana White has said…“We don’t want Bobby Lashley in the UFC”.

http://www.mmaforreal.com

by Kelvin Hunt on Jun 29, 2009 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs