Morning Report: Randy Couture reveals one remorse he has from Brock Lesnar struggle

Randy Couture had an unbelievable 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 particular person 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 light-weight 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 greatest occasions in MMA historical past on the time, and Lesnar received 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 individuals bear in mind.

“Actually, I used to be on my technique to successful that struggle,” Couture advised 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 may need been a distinct night time. It’s laborious 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 combating greater, youthful males — he made a profession out of it — however this time he did a minimum of have a serious benefit in expertise over Lesnar. And Couture says that nearly price Brock.

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

Lesnar finally had a profitable, although transient, MMA profession. After successful 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 changed into an enormous PED scandal.

Couture, in the meantime, fought 5 extra instances within the UFC, together with the 2009 Combat of the 12 months 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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