In the mid-2010s, the UFC surged into mainstream dominance, powered by megastars like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey, who helped usher the promotion into its golden era. Yet, amid the spotlight on these icons, many fans often overlook a key figure who helped lay the foundation for that boom: Brock Lesnar.
Fast forward to 2026, Lesnar competed in the opening match of Night 2 of WrestleMania 42 on April 19, taking on rising powerhouse Oba Femi. The contest was brief as Femi put away Lesnar in under five minutes, landing his finisher and pinning ‘The Beast’ clean in the center of the ring. An emotional Lesnar removed his gloves and boots and left them in the ring.
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He then embraced his longtime friend and manager, Paul Heyman, at ringside, fueling speculation that this could mark the final chapter of his legendary career. In the immediate aftermath, RAF Wrestling owner Chad Bronstein revealed he is open to organizing a potential grappling contest between Lesnar and Jon Jones, especially after signing Khamzat Chimaev for RAF 08.
The idea has since sparked widespread debate over who would come out on top. Amid that discussion, former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman appears firmly in Lesnar’s corner if such a matchup were to materialize. Speaking on a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Usman was asked to predict a hypothetical Lesnar vs. Jones wrestling match in Real American Freestyle.
He explained, “This is an outrageous question…who would win? Hypthetically, I would say the sheer size of Brock Lesnar and the way he wrestled. Brock Lesnar wasn’t necessarily a guy ripping shots all the time, but he could wear guys down…Brock would be a bit more offensive, and trying to get a guy of that size down multiple times? I just don’t see it. I think Brock Lesnar potentially [wins].”
Kamaru Usman says Brock Lesnar would defeat Jon Jones in wrestling
“Hypothetically, if I had to pick, I would just say the sheer size of Brock Lesnar. I would have to go with Brock, even though Jon, I think Jon is probably going to be a little more offensive. I just think those… pic.twitter.com/T8TzBUtq7U
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) April 23, 2026
For the unversed, Lesnar captured gold at the 2000 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships while representing the University of Minnesota. Meanwhile, before transitioning to mixed martial arts, Jones built an impressive wrestling resume of his own, winning titles at Iowa Central Community College.
After bursting onto WWE’s scene in the early 2000s and becoming its youngest champion at just 25, Lesnar stunned the sports world by stepping away from professional wrestling to pursue MMA, despite initial hesitation from UFC president Dana White. Within a handful of fights, he captured the UFC heavyweight title by defeating Randy Couture and later dominated Frank Mir in their rematch at UFC 100.
He successfully defended the belt against Shane Carwin before losing it to Cain Velasquez, and ultimately closed his initial run with a loss to Alistair Overeem. Health issues, including diverticulitis, forced his retirement from MMA. However, he returned for one final bout at UFC 200 in 2016, defeating Mark Hunt via a lopsided unanimous decision, a result later overturned to a no-contest.
As for Jones, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history. Although currently retired, he has remained noncommittal about whether that status will stick. Dana White has maintained that Jones is done competing, even amid renewed speculation surrounding a potential appearance on a proposed White House card on June 14th.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.