As buzz for WrestleMania 42 continues to build, Brock Lesnar is set to face Oba Femi live in Las Vegas on April 18, which is shaping up to be an exciting event. Ahead of the showdown, a recent interview offered new insight into Lesnar’s path to the UFC—revealing just how unconventional his entry into the promotion really was.
Speaking on the Spittin Chiclets podcast, via a clip shared by FADE, Lesnar didn’t hold back when discussing his first attempts to connect with Dana White.
“Dana White wanted nothing to do with me,” Lesnar said. “He wouldn’t return my phone call.”
At the time, Lesnar had already built a name for himself in WWE and was actively looking to transition into MMA. But according to him, early outreach to the UFC went nowhere—forcing him to take matters into his own hands.
“I said screw it. I bought four nosebleed tickets,” Lesnar explained. “I sat there through the entire event… and as soon as Randy won that fight, I scaled the security and ran to the octagon.”
That moment came during a heavyweight title fight between Randy Couture and Gabriel Gonzaga, where Lesnar seized the opportunity to introduce himself directly to White.
From there, things moved quickly. Lesnar was offered a one-fight deal, which resulted in a loss to Frank Mir. Still, the immediate impact was clear.
“The pay-per-view buys must have been really, really good,” Lesnar said. “Dana’s like, ‘No, you’re not done.’”
The next day, negotiations led to a full contract. Lesnar later went on to become UFC heavyweight champion by defeating Randy Couture at UFC 91, cementing his place as one of the rare crossover stars to reach the top in both MMA and pro wrestling.
Now, with WrestleMania 42 on the horizon, Brock Lesnar adds another chapter to his rare career that includes championships in both WWE and the UFC.
