By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

UFC president Dana White said today on ESPN SportsCenter that former WWE champion Brock Lesnar is looking to make his UFC return "this summer." Lesnar has not fought since July 2009 after a number of health complications.

Lesnar and White appeared on ESPN together this morning for Lesnar's first public interview since Lesnar began having major health problems in November. Lesnar, the current UFC Hvt. champion, is expected to fight the winner of Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin (March 27) in his UFC return.

Lesnar said he nearly lost his career and was looking at a major lifestyle change if he was forced to have surgery to remove his colon after being diagnosed with a severe case of diverticulitis.

"One night, I woke up in severe shock with a 104 temperature. I had a hole in my stomach," Lesnar said. "I took antibiotics and pain medication to heal myself or I would have had to remove part of my colon and wear a colonoscopy bag and end my career."

Lesnar credited his doctors in North Dakota and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. for waiting out the illness and seeing if his body could heal itself before taking the drastic measure of having major surgery that would have ended his career. Lesnar said the patience paid off.

Lesnar said he visited a doctor on January 5 and the doctor was "dumbfounded" there were "no signs of any problems in my stomach." Lesnar added that he delayed the ESPN interview because he had to get another CT Scan on Tuesday (January 19) just to make sure there weren't any lingering issues.

Lesnar was asked if there are any health risks returning to UFC and whether he could have health complications when he begins training again.

"No, not at all," Lesnar said. "I've had three or four different opinions. No sign of anything even existing in there."

Lesnar added: "I had to view my life in a different way when you have everything taken away from you. I've always been in control of my life and surroundings and for me to sit there for 15 or 30 days and not be controlling anything, I have to thank my wife (Rena Mero) and family and Dana White for sticking by my side."

At the beginning of the interview, SportsCenter anchor Josh Elliott recapped Lesnar's career with focus on Lesnar's amateur wrestling background, his WWE career, and trying out for the Minnesota Vikings while UFC footage played on ESPN.

Continue to follow this story and other MMA-related stories on our sister site, MMATorch.com. Video of Lesnar's interview on ESPN is below.



[Brock Lesnar photo by Wade Keller (c) MMATorch]

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