5 surprising UFC title challengers

#5 Brock Lesnar (2008)

Despite not earning his title shot, Brock Lesnar knocked out Randy Couture to win the UFC title in 2008

If the recent furore around Brock Lesnar’s upcoming Heavyweight title shot against Daniel Cormier feels familiar, that’s because it’s already happened once – back in 2008 shortly after Lesnar had signed with the UFC the first time around.

At least back then he was considered a full-time fighter, but even so, giving him a title shot against Randy Couture at UFC 91 in November 2008 was still considered a massive shocker.

Lesnar had debuted in the UFC in February 2008 and had lost to Frank Mir by submission, and although he’d beaten Heath Herring impressively six months later, he still seemed to be miles away from a title shot.

Couture meanwhile was embroiled in a lawsuit against the UFC and a comeback didn’t seem to be on the cards – the UFC had introduced an interim title in his stead, won by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and the Brazilian was scheduled to defend against Mir later in 2008.

When it was announced that Couture – and his full Heavyweight title – was making a return, everyone was pleasantly surprised. But when his next opponent was announced as being Lesnar – 1-1 in the UFC – rather than a unification match with Nogueira, jaws hit the floor and immediately the debate about whether the UFC was favouring spectacle over sport began to rage.

Surprisingly enough though, it was Lesnar who had the last laugh. Looking far bigger and stronger than his ageing opponent, he caught Couture with a short, powerful right hand late in the first round and finished him off with a series of hammer fists on the ground.

From one of the most undeserving title challengers in UFC history to the Heavyweight champion – Lesnar did it in 2008, but can he do it again a decade later?

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