By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Former WWE top star Brock Lesnar says he doesn't want to fight one of the top fighters in the world, Fedor Emelianenko, until he's ready and has improved as a fighter.

Taking a page from pro wrestling booking, he says he doesn't want to "hot shot" a fight against Fedor just because he's a hot fighter after his victory over Frank Mir at UFC 100.

"I think I have a lot to prove as a fighter," Lesnar said on the Jim Rome radio show. "I want to get a few more fights in and do it right. I'm not here to hotshot anything as far as the fight business."

Lesnar has the mentality that he doesn't want to take fights based on his gut reaction or that people are clamoring for a Lesnar vs. Fedor fight.

TNA wrestler Bobby Lashley is taking a similar approach. Lashley's name was listed as a potential replacement for Josh Barnett to face Fedor next weekend, but one source close to Lashley told me that there's no way Lashley was ever going to take the fight. The fight would have been a squash match for Fedor since Lashley only has four fights under his belt.

Lashley has said in interviews that he's focused on doing business right by slowly building his credibility and not jumping at potential big paydays. Lesnar has a similar mentality to take care of his career first and make smart decisions on who he fights.

"This is a business for me, first and foremost," Lesnar said on Jim Rome. "This is how I make my living and that’s how I look at it."

Jim Rome quotes courtesy of 5thround.com.

-- For more coverage of the top storylines in MMA, including Josh Barnett's public statement on positive steroid test, read MMATorch.com.

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