Morning Report: Randy Couture reveals one regret he has from Brock Lesnar fight

Randy Couture had an unimaginable profession, nevertheless it might have been a bit of bit higher.

A five-time UFC champion throughout two weight divisions, Couture is a pioneer of MMA and one of many sport’s most beloved figures. “The Pure” had such a big and spectacular profession that he was the fourth individual ever inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame, all the best way again in 2006. However even with how nice Couture’s profession was, the previous heavyweight and lightweight heavyweight champion believes he left a bit of meat on the bone.

In 2008, Couture ended hie authorized battle with the UFC and returned to the promotion, defending his heavyweight title in opposition to Brock Lesnar at UFC 91. It was one of many largest occasions in MMA historical past on the time, and Lesnar gained by second-round knockout. However 16 years later, and Couture says he was a lot nearer to including one other signature win to his resume than folks keep in mind.

“Actually, I used to be on my approach to profitable that struggle,” Couture informed Tim Welch. “I believe if he hadn’t have grabbed the cage within the struggle spherical, I had him up in a excessive single and he locked onto the cage, and the referee let him get away with it. I believe if he hit the deck, it might need been a special evening. It’s arduous to say.”

On the time, Couture was 45 years previous, going through a person 14 years his junior. In fact, Couture was no stranger to preventing larger, youthful males — he made a profession out of it — however this time he did not less than have a serious benefit in expertise over Lesnar. And Couture says that just about price Brock.

“I believe it was obvious that Brock hadn’t actually made pals with getting punched within the face,” Couture stated. “I hit him with a left hook and reduce his proper eye, and you may see when noticed his personal blood on his hand, it form of freaked him out. We noticed that with [Cain] Velasquez and [Alistair] Overeem. He didn’t make pals with the truth that he was going to must get punched within the grill to get the place he needed to be.”

Lesnar in the end had a profitable, although transient, MMA profession. After profitable the heavyweight title from Couture, he efficiently defended it in opposition to Frank Mir after which Shane Carwin earlier than shedding the title to Cain Velasquez in 2010. He retired after shedding to Alistair Overeem in his subsequent bout, although had one ill-fated comeback in opposition to Mark Hunt at UFC 200 that was a large PED scandal.

Couture, in the meantime, fought 5 extra occasions within the UFC, together with the 2009 Battle of the Yr in opposition to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and the UFC’s first ever Corridor of Famer vs. Corridor of Famer bout when he fought Mark Coleman at UFC 109.

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Depends upon what they’re promoting.

Last UFC struggle card of the yr! Let’s have some enjoyable yet another time earlier than a well-deserved break. — Meshew

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