Examining Brock Lesnar's Options And Where He Will Go: WWE, UFC, Bellator Or Elsewhere?

Timely. Lucky. Talented. Worthwhile.

Depending on whom you talk to and when, each of these terms could describe WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. An NCAA champion, Lesnar was recruited straight out of college by the WWE, WCW, K-1 and UFC as a special talent. He lived up to that billing.

Right out of the gate, Lesnar won the WWE Title. In addition to that, he won the Royal Rumble, King of the Ring, and headlined WrestleMania. Within two years, there was really nothing left. He gave football a go and did pretty well considering his age and level of experience. It wasn't a success to Lesnar, or to critical fans, but getting an NFL Europe invite with no prior experience was nothing to scoff at.

Instead of jumping on that offer, Lesnar opted to go to New Japan Pro Wrestling. There, he became IWGP Heavyweight champion, adding another accolade to his collection. Brock Lesnar continued to succeed, but he wasn't satisfied.

In 2007, Brock Lesnar jumped head first into the red-hot world of MMA, fighting only once in outside the UFC before joining the company. After a controversial debut loss to Frank Mir, Lesnar went on a tear. He would win his next four fights, unify the UFC Heavyweight titles twice, and tie the record for successful defenses of that title. That record remains intact.

Most importantly, Lesnar became a pay-per-view juggernaut. Not only a juggernaut, but the biggest in MMA history. Events he headlined regularly surpassed the one million buy mark. If not for some questionable refereeing at UFC 81, he could have been 6-0. Unfortunately, Lesnar's career and life would be put into question. Lesnar developed diverticulitis, and subsequently lost years from his career. He'd also lose his last two fights.

Luckily for Lesnar, the WWE was calling. Despite his questionable use upon re-entering the WWE, he's again become the hottest commodity in sports entertainment. He's the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, he broke the Undertaker's streak, he's still a huge pay-per-view draw....and he's going to be a free agent.

The UFC loves this. UFC or WWE seems like a difficult enough decision for a competitive guy like Brock. Go ahead and throw in Viacom-owned Bellator MMA to the mix as well. The company is looking to establish they're brand, and have proven willing to spend top dollar to bring in marquee names to make that happen. Simon Inoki and the IGF will also reportedly make an offer, although that's a long shot.

It's difficult to gauge the mindset of a Brock Lesnar. He's lives a simple life in the woods away from people, doesn't really like TV, and has a ton of money. After the NCAA, WWE, NFL, NJPW, UFC and WWE again, what's left? Well, maybe the UFC again.

Regardless of outcome, Lesnar is a huge PPV draw in MMA. Many point to his last fight not doing as well as his previous ones, but there were circumstances behind that. His bout with Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 took place on a Friday as opposed to the standard Saturday so UFC could avoid New Year's Eve. Even then, the show did exceptionally.

Many also point to Lesnar's age. At 37, he's no spring chicken, and he turns 38 this year. That's not near his prime by any means, but heavyweight fighters tend to skew older as it is. Among the top 15 ranked UFC Heavyweights (including champions), none are under the age of 30. Rival Frank Mir is at the end of his run in UFC, lost four fights in a row, and is still a top-15 ranked fighter.

Lesnar's skills in the cage have declined, there's no way around it or denying it. The true question in the situation is whether or not his overall health after overcoming diverticulitis will offset the decline in skills. It's difficult to tell how healthy Brock Lesnar was at the end of his UFC run, as he and his management are likely to stretch the truth in order to gain as much leverage as possible.

Make no mistake, the WWE needs Brock Lesnar. He's a once in a generation talent that brings an aura with him that can't be replicated. It looked like for a while the UFC needed Lesnar, but now it doesn't seem to be the case. With pay-per-view numbers looking good, he'd certainly be a feather in their cap though. But why not a compromise?

In 2010, Vince McMahon contacted Dana White about using Lesnar on the following year's WrestleMania. Lesnar and Undertaker orchestrated a confrontation following Brock's loss to Cain Velasquez that had the world talking. Unfortunately for the WWE, White declined. McMahon should present this offer to the UFC again.

It's hard to believe Lesnar will make a run at the top of the UFC. He's a rare talent that doesn't need to be anywhere near an MMA title picture to draw. The WWE desperately wants to hold on to Lesnar, but rightfully don't want to risk his reputation, health, or time at the expense of a real fight that he may or may not win. But, there's room for compromise.

In the UFC, there are fights that Brock Lesnar can win and make sense. A trilogy with heated rival Frank Mir is the big money bout, as a rubber match between the two makes sense. While Mir was dominated for all but about 7 seconds of both bouts, it's a ready-made match and should be the prime fight for Lesnar. The fact that Mir's boxing has improved exponentially over the past year doesn't bode well for Lesnar.

Stefan Struve would be another fight that could be put together, and could benefit the WWE short-term if he's under contract to them as well. Struve is a top-15 fighter who can't find his footing after a series of injuries and health complications. Really, none of that is important: He's seven feet tall. The visual of Brock Lesnar getting his hips underneath a young, 7 footer in a legit fight is something WWE could use. That is, if Lesnar could secure the victory.

There's a wild card in all this– Bellator MMA. The Viacom owned MMA promotion has fallen in love with booking "freak show fights," and they certainly have a couple of prime targets for Lesnar. Both Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock are under contract to Bellator, and while neither are in Lesnar's league, both would garner huge ratings for the show. One has to wonder if Lesnar's price tag would meet returns for TV revenue, or if Bellator would be forced back on to pay-per-view in an effort to recoup his salary.

Brock Lesnar has options?lots of them. His timing is impeccable, his character is great, and his leverage will be unlike anything we've ever seen in pro wrestling, MMA, or the crossover between the two. This, more than any kind of build WWE has done for WrestleMania's main event, makes the show compelling. Brock Lesnar holds a huge cut of the future of three promotions in his hands.