While WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar's rumored return to UFC has yet to be officially confirmed, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion may have a set date and opponent already in place.
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Earlier this week, rumors spread that Lesnar (5-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) could face former light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones (22-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) upon his return. However, there are several factors that need to be addressed, according to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Dave Meltzer (subscription required).
"The working plan is for Brock Lesnar to face Jon Jones, provided Jones beats Daniel Cormier this week, with the idea of late December. But that time frame may not work since Vince McMahon would have to approve of any date until April. We were told that Lesnar vs. Jones was the working idea from a number of sources, but one said that it wouldn't happen that early and would have to be in 2018."
Jones, who will face Cormier (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) at UFC 214 on Saturday for the title he was stripped of in April 2015, discussed the possibility of facing Lesnar during a UFC Facebook chat this week. The former champion said he'd be interested in the fight, but wasn't confident it would happen.
"He's a massive dude," Jones said. "It would be a massive draw, really big for the sport. It would be a great challenge; that's a big old boy.
"I doubt Brock Lesnar would take that fight, though. I definitely wouldn't try to wrestle with him the whole time. I'm not going to tell you what I would do."
Lesnar responded during an interview with APNews.com on Wednesday, claiming he'd accept the challenge.
"Would I fight Jon Jones? Anytime, anywhere," Lesnar said. "Right now, he should be worried about 'DC' on Saturday night."
Last week, Meltzer reported last week that Lesnar had gotten back in the USADA testing pool for UFC.
However, Lesnar's UFC future is still a matter of speculation as he remains under contract with WWE until April 2018 and is currently serving a one-year suspension for two failed drug tests for Hydroxy-Clomihpene.
Lesnar was suspended after a July 9th test turned out to be positive and his one-year suspension was frozen in mid-February, which means it still has five months remaining and the former champion won't be able to compete again until mid-December.
Lesnar announced his retirement after testing positive, which also meant he was out of the USADA testing pool.
