Chastened Lesnar: ‘I screwed up’

The change in behavior apparently was the result of a lecture delivered by Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White in the bathroom of Lesnar’s locker room.

"Dana came back and we had a whip-the-dog session," Lesnar said. "I screwed up and I apologize."

The heavyweight champion expressed his remorse for postfight antics that included taunting his beaten opponent, flipping both of his middle fingers to the crowd, discussing his bedroom plans for the evening and taking a shot at the company’s biggest sponsor, Bud Light.

Lesnar got the message from the boss, as he entered the news conference drinking from a Bud Light bottle.

"I acted very unprofessionally after the fight and I’ll leave it at that," Lesnar said. "I apologize to Bud Light. I’m not biased. I drink any beer. Tonight, I’m drinking Bud Light all night."

Lesnar even offered a joke.

"I love Bud Light. I’m even going to get me some horses," he said. "Clydesdales."

White was not amused with the in-cage antics of the former professional wrestler.

"That’s not who Brock really is, and what he did out there is not real," he said. "You don’t have to act like someone you’re not. This isn’t the WWE. I’m not trying to get someone to act all crazy so we’ll do more pay-per-views. That’s not what this sport is about."

But the fact remains, Lesnar’s mischievous behavior is likely to make him even more of a draw for the UFC. Heels can sell just as much as faces, to borrow the wrestling terms for villains and heroes.

"I went into the entertainment business for a while and I guess there’s a little bit of that still in me," Lesnar said. "You guys ask me all the time if there’s anything that I can drag over from WWE and I guess you’ve seen a little bit of that (Saturday). I’m used to selling pay-per-view tickets. I come from a business that is purely entertainment. I’m just trying to do my job."

Whether his actions will help the company’s bottom line will be seen the next time Lesnar headlines an event.

The most likely scenario would have him taking on the winner between unbeaten prospects Cain Velasquez and Shane Carwin, but they don’t fight until Oct. 24 in Los Angeles, so Lesnar would not have a fight for at least six months. He also could fight Mir a third time or face the winner of the Randy Couture-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fight scheduled for Aug. 29 in Portland, Ore.

But the most intriguing opponent for Lesnar would be Fedor Emelianenko, who is under contract with Affliction and will fight Josh Barnett on Aug. 1 in Anaheim, Calif.

Emelianenko is widely regarded as the best fighter in the world. Several attempts by White to reach a deal with the Russian star have failed to yield a contract.

"This whole Fedor thing has been going on and on and on. I keep saying this and that about him and he keeps waiting," White said. "Eventually Fedor’s going to be here. I want Fedor to come to the UFC. We’ll end up getting the deal done and then it will be Brock vs. Fedor."

That fight undoubtedly would sell well, and some of those purchases likely would be a result of Lesnar’s antics. That makes him the ultimate company man.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@ reviewjournal.com or (702) 224-5509.