Why WWE doesn't mind Brock Lesnar's one-off UFC fight
When it was announced that Brock Lesnar would return to the UFC to compete at UFC 200 against Mark Hunt, it came as a huge surprise to everyone. Not just because Lesnar had not competed in the Octagon since December of 2011, but also because he was in the middle of a contract with the WWE where he had recently participated in their annual Wrestlemania event.
As proposed by the WWE, this fight would be a one-off opportunity and the former UFC heavyweight champion would return to the WWE for their SummerSlam event in August regardless of whether he won or lost against Hunt.
WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon explained why the pro wrestling promotion would allow Lesnar to go back to the UFC, even if it is just for one night.
“Brock is a unique proposition, but just to get to the broader question: UFC is not a competitor to the WWE because we are entertainment and UFC is competitive sport,” McMahon said in an interview with Business Insider. “It’s very different. WWE is all about protagonists and antagonists where ultimately our conflicts are settled in the ring with action that is akin to Hollywood.”
McMahon went on to explain that the WWE is built more on narrative rather than competition and the worlds of MMA and pro wrestling don’t necessarily impede each other’s progression. But the one advantage that the WWE has over others is that wins and losses don’t necessarily bear as much of a factor in popularity as they do in the UFC.
“UFC, they can make a big star but the second that person loses, they lose credibility, and how do you continue to make that star rise?” said McMahon. “So I think we have the best of both worlds and the opportunity to tell the stories in the way we want to tell them.”
Ultimately, Lesnar’s appeal to both audiences presents a unique opportunity for the WWE to gain some added exposure, even if they don’t recognize the fight on their programming.
“We are not supporting the fight necessarily but, again, it’s not a competitor to us and the more that our superstars, that’s how we refer to our talent, the more they do outside of WWE, the more awareness it generates and the broader the audience can be that is then brought back into our properties. So we recognize the value of that.”
Lesnar faces Mark Hunt in the co-main event of UFC 200 on July 9 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
