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#2 Opened the door for more pro wrestlers to transition to MMA
Brock Lesnar could be credited with making it possible for pro wrestlers to transition to MMA and be taken seriously. Like Ken Shamrock did for MMA fighters transitioning to pro wrestling, Lesnar did the same for pro wrestlers.
In 2007, Brock Lesnar took a huge risk when he signed with the UFC. Lesnar was a big star during his WWE tenure and could have damaged his reputation if he wasn’t successful. Furthermore, if Lesnar wasn’t successful, it could’ve affected future contract negotiations if he decided to return to pro wrestling.
After Brock Lesnar became UFC heavyweight champion, he became an example of pro wrestlers looking to do the same. Since Lesnar’s UFC debut, pro wrestlers such as Bobby Lashley, CM Punk, and Jake Hager have competed in major promotions.
It can be argued that Lesnar changed the perception of pro wrestlers in MMA. To an extent, the idea of a pro wrestler crossing over into MMA is no longer scoffed at.
#1 Brock Lesnar was a massive draw for the UFC
Another reason Brock Lesnar should receive a UFC Hall of Fame induction is that he was a massive PPV draw. During Lesnar’s UFC career, he set PPV buyrate records that weren’t surpassed until Conor McGregor became a title-contender.
Lesnar being a bankable attraction for the UFC led to both the promotion and fighters growing their fanbase. Since Lesnar was one of the biggest stars in WWE, many fans wondered how he’d fare in the UFC.
As a result, many pro wrestling fans bought PPVs with Lesnar on the card and ended up being hooked on the sport. UFC PPVs with Lesnar in the main-event or co-main event were very lucrative for the promotion.
Out of the eight PPVs featuring Lesnar, the UFC generated over one million PPV buys on five occasions. In fact, the lowest PPV buyrate for an event featuring Lesnar was 625,000. To put that number in perspective, it was still higher than some of the promotion’s top fighters were generating.
