He was born in South Dakota. He first gained fame in Minnesota. Now, though, Brock Lesnar has fled north of the border and will represent his adopted home nation of Canada when he fights at UFC 200.
On Saturday, MMA Junkie reporter Chamatkar Sandhu noticed that Lesnar's recently unveiled official UFC 200 Reebok uniform bears a certain maple leaf of Canada, as opposed to the old Stars and Stripes:
This seems to confirm a June 7 report from CBC News that Lesnar would be fighting out of Maryfield, Saskatchewan, where he has set up a farm, in his return to MMA.
Lesnar previously lived in the wilderness of Minnesota, where he won a national wrestling title at the University of Minnesota. However, he sold his property there in 2014, and presumably moved soon after to his farm in Maryfield, which is about 150 miles away from the Saskatchewan capital of Regina.
The 38-year-old Lesnar (5-3) faces hard-hitting New Zealander Mark Hunt (12-10-1) in the UFC 200 co-main event. Lesnar, known primarily for his huge frame and extended career as a pro wrestler with the WWE, captured and twice defended the UFC heavyweight title between 2008 and 2010.
According to a statement from the WWE, Lesnar remains under WWE contract while he pursues this "one-off" chance with the UFC.
Lesnar retired from pro MMA in 2011 after a knockout loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141. The retirement was due in large part to a serious bout of diverticulitis, an intestinal disease. But the Overeem loss was Lesnar's second in a row, the first coming in October 2010 when he lost his belt to Cain Velasquez following a first-round TKO.
Lesnar's apparently low tolerance for face strikes will be put to the test against Hunt, who may be the heaviest hitter in the entire sport. The former pro kickboxer has nine knockout wins in 23 MMA contests, including his last two bouts.
Whatever happens with Lesnar, it appears it will happen under the Canadian flag.
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