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INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Brock is back in the UFC.
Former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar will return to mixed martial arts with a bout at UFC 200 in Las Vegas next month, the promotion announced Saturday night.
Lesnar is one of the biggest pay-per-view stars in UFC history, setting records for the promotion during his eight-fight MMA career between stints as a professional wrestler. He won the heavyweight title by stopping Randy Couture in his fourth fight, and he defended the belt against Frank Mir at the record-setting UFC 100 in 2009.
But Lesnar hasn't fought in the UFC since 2011. Cain Velasquez took away the title belt in 2010, and Alistair Overeem stopped him 14 months later.
The final years of Lesnar's MMA career were seriously hampered by diverticulitis that eventually required surgery.
Lesnar returned to the WWE in 2012, but said he kept training in striking and martial arts. He nearly returned to fighting last year, but eventually re-signed with the WWE and claimed he had "closed the door on MMA."
The UFC didn't announce an opponent for Lesnar, who turns 39 next month — three days after his July 9 bout at UFC 200.
The WWE announced later Saturday night that Lesnar will still perform for the promotion at SummerSlam on Aug. 21 after his UFC bout.
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