Paul Heyman Claims Brock Lesnar Would Still Be UFC Champion at 49
Paul Heyman believes Brock Lesnar would still be UFC heavyweight champion at 49 years old if not for the illness that interrupted his MMA career.
During an appearance on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Heyman claimed diverticulitis ‘robbed’ Lesnar of his potential, suggesting the former heavyweight champion would have remained undefeated without the condition.
Heyman went even further, arguing that no opponent would make it out of the first round against Lesnar if he had remained healthy.
Paul Heyman Blames Diverticulitis for Brock Lesnar’s UFC Downfall
Lesnar was diagnosed with diverticulitis in 2009, a condition involving inflammation of small pouches in the colon. The illness interrupted his UFC heavyweight title reign and eventually required surgery. “No one would get out of the first round with him,” Heyman said, arguing that diverticulitis “robbed” Lesnar of his potential.
Lesnar returned to competition but lost his championship to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 in October 2010. He suffered another defeat against Alistair Overeem in December 2011.
However, Heyman’s claim that Lesnar would have remained undefeated overlooks an important detail.
Lesnar suffered his first UFC defeat against Frank Mir at UFC 81 in February 2008, before his diverticulitis diagnosis.
Despite that early setback, Lesnar defeated Randy Couture later that year to capture the UFC heavyweight championship. He subsequently defended the title against Mir and Shane Carwin.
Lesnar’s final UFC appearance came against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in July 2016. He initially won by unanimous decision, but the result was overturned to a no-contest following an anti-doping violation.
Lesnar finished his professional MMA career with a 5-3 record and one no-contest, including a 4-3 record in the UFC.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.