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    Lesnar to return to Octagon at UFC 200, opponent TBD

    Brock Lesnar, 2000 NCAA heavyweight wrestling champ for the University of Minnesota who has made an even bigger name for himself in both mixed martial arts and professional wrestling, appears to be returning to the Octagon to compete in UFC 200 next month.

    Brock Lesnar
    Early reports had Ultimate Fighting Championships denying the story ... but then UFC later announced Lesnar's return during its UFC 199 event Saturday night. UFC 200 is scheduled for July 9 in Las Vegas. An opponent for Lesnar has not yet been determined.

    Lesnar entered professional MMA competition in June 2007. His next fight was his debut in UFC, losing to Frank Mir at UFC 81 in February 2008. The former Minnesota mat champ then racked up four straight wins in UFC fights, then lost to former Arizona State wrestler Cain Velasquez at the UFC 121 main event by first-round TKO in October 2010. Lesnar's last appearance in the Octagon was at UFC 141 in December 2011, falling to Alistair Overeem via first-round TKO. Lesnar's pro MMA record is 5-3 overall.

    For pro wrestling fans concerned that this UFC news means the end of Lesnar's WWE career ... CBS Sports is reporting otherwise. "Brock Lesnar remains under contract to WWE," the company said Saturday in a statement shared with CBS Sports. "However, he has been granted a one-off opportunity to compete at UFC 200. Following this milestone event on July 9, Brock will return to WWE for SummerSlam on Sunday, August 21, live on WWE Network."

    Long before getting involved in MMA and WWE, Brock Edward Lesnar was "the next big thing" in amateur wrestling, thanks to his powerful physique that, in the words of legendary wrestler and coach Dan Gable, "turns more heads than Cindy Crawford in a thong."

    A product of Webster, South Dakota, Lesnar launched his college career at Bismarck Junior College in North Dakota, where he dominated the National Junior College Athletic Association competition, racking up an incredible 56-3 record in his two years at BJC, culminating with the 1998 NJCAA heavyweight championship.

    Brock Lesnar's physique and take-no-prisoners wrestling style turned more than a few heads ... including that of J Robinson, University of Minnesota's head coach, who brought the South Dakota native to the Golden Gophers for his junior year where he built up a near-perfect 24-1 regular-season record against Division I competition. After winning the 1999 Big Ten heavyweight title, Lesnar made it to the finals of the 1999 NCAAs, where he lost to defending champ Stephen Neal of Cal State Bakersfield.

    As a senior, Lesnar lost only one regular-season bout (to Iowa's Wes Hand), but avenged that loss by winning his second Big Ten title. At the 2000 NCAAs in St. Louis, top-seeded Brock Lesnar pinned three of his four pre-finals opponents to find himself going for the heavyweight title against familiar foe Hand. The Minnesota big man beat Hand in a tiebreaker to claim the national heavyweight crown.

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