Paul Heyman, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Brock Lesnar’s manager, believes his client’s retirement from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will benefit WWE as they can book him for more shows. He also went on to compare Lesnar’s greatness to Michael Jordan and Roger Federer among others.

Lesnar lost the Universal title to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 35 in April and was expected to take a break from WWE and return to the UFC to face heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. But Dana White confirmed earlier in the year the WWE star had decided retire from UFC, which came as a surprise to many.

Heyman believes his client’s exit from UFC could benefit WWE as they will have the opportunity to use him more. He recently made his return during the Money In The Bank (MITB) pay-per-view and won the contract that allows him to challenge for any title he pleases at any time.

“I think the public is willing to pay to see Brock Lesnar, as long as Brock Lesnar is presented in a manner that entices the audience to be emotionally invested in the story being told,” Heyman told CBS New York. “That’s whether it’s in WWE or UFC.”

Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker battle it out at the WWE SummerSlam 2015 at Barclays Center of Brooklyn in New York City, Aug. 23, 2015. JP Yim/Getty Images

“So, Brock Lesnar’s retirement in UFC only makes him more available for WWE if the circumstances are right. In terms of Brock’s marketability to the general public, I think the general public has always been aware of what a unique athlete Brock Lesnar is and how rare it is to have the opportunity to see Brock Lesnar in action,” he added.

Heyman feels Lesnar is a “once-ever” athlete for having held the NCAA Division I title, the UFC heavyweight titles and the WWE championship. He compared his client to sports’ all-time greats Jordan, Babe Ruth, Federer and Bjorn Borg in terms of the prestige the public has when it comes to watching Lesnar in action – it is likely to be ridiculed by some sections of sports fans.

“It’s [watching Lesnar] the equivalent of understanding the greatness of Michael Jordan while he was playing,” Heyman said. “It’s the equivalent of understanding the greatness of a Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb while they were playing. Roger Federer, while he’s playing at his peak. Bjorn Borg. People who not only change the game, but dominate in a fashion that no one else could dominate. That’s Brock Lesnar.”

“He’s not going to do this forever. He’s very picky about the box office appeal that he has. So, when Brock Lesnar is willing to appear, it’s a magnificent opportunity for any fan to see someone whose appearances are booked out judiciously so that there are only a limited number of times you will have in your lifetime to see Brock Lesnar,” he explained.

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