Trainer: Lesnar 'Definitely Coming Back
Brock Lesnar’s primary trainer, Greg Nelson, has no doubts that the sidelined UFC heavyweight champion will grace the Octagon again, though there is no concrete timetable for the fallen fighter’s return.
“Brock Lesnar is definitely coming back to fight,” Nelson told ESPN’s “MMA Live” show on Thursday. “He’s just kind of coming up slowly, trying to get his body ready and being smart with his recovery.”
Lesnar withdrew from two scheduled title bouts against Shane Carwin late last year after he was hospitalized in mid November with an intestinal tract infection, said UFC President Dana White. The 32-year old fighter was reportedly hospitalized for 11 days in North Dakota, where he is said to have undergone “minor surgery” before being released to his home in Alexandria, Minn.
On Jan. 2, White said Lesnar might have to undergo additional surgery that could keep him out of competition longer than hoped. In response, the promotion announced in early January that Shane Carwin and Frank Mir would meet for an interim heavyweight title bout at UFC 111 on March 27 in Newark, N.J.
Earlier his week, White said the promotion planned to hold a press conference, with Lesnar in attendance, sometime next week in Las Vegas. No details have been released yet though, while Nelson had no additional information to offer.
“That’s the surprise for everybody,” Nelson told “MMA Live.”. “I’m not sure what he’s going to say or what the expectations are at this point.”
Lesnar has yet to comment publicly on his situation, leaving any updates regarding his future up to the UFC and his trainers.
“He really likes his privacy and spending time with his family,” said Nelson, “and once he’s not training, he’s spending 100 percent of his quality time with his family, especially his new son.”
Nelson, who also trains former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk at the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy, said he’s had “occasional” communication with Lesnar, by phone, email and text.
“He’s been going in to the doctor and making sure everything’s going well for him,” said Nelson. “He’ll continue to go in for a couple more tests to make sure he’s 100 percent ready to train when he starts up. He still has a few more things to go through.”
Nelson predicted Lesnar would rebound quickly once he resumed his training.
“Being the athlete that he is and just a strong, tough guy, he’s used to dealing with diversity and stuff like that, I think he’ll be able to come back faster probably than people expect, but we’re not going to push the river at all,” he said. “We want him to be 100 percent healthy when he begins to train… I’m sure once he gets going he’ll be at the top of his game real quick.”
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