Brock Lesnar is getting set for perhaps the busiest summer of his life.
"The Beast" will return to the Octagon for the first time since 2011 when he battles Mark Hunt at UFC 200 on July 9 in Las Vegas.
He will then play a major part in WWE SummerSlam on Aug. 21 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, though his role for Vince McMahon's company at that show has yet to be determined.
In a way, it's a bit risky for the WWE to have Lesnar fight at UFC 200, and not just because of injury concerns. If the former UFC and WWE World Heavyweight Champion loses very publicly at the milestone MMA event, his booking as an unstoppable beast in the squared circle could be compromised.
One person who isn't concerned about this potential impact is Lesnar's on-screen mouth piece and advocate Paul Heyman, who believes everything his client does affects him.
"I think every day, anything that you do can change the course and affect forward movement in sports, let alone WWE," Heyman told ESPN. "I understand what you're asking me, but I think in terms of an overall picture, when you are at Brock's level of being a box office attraction, everything affects what you're going to be doing at the next appearance.
"And the same thing goes for John Cena and Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, just like the same thing goes for Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor and Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier. So, the result of this fight, how will it affect SummerSlam? Hopefully it will make Brock Lesnar an even bigger star on a global basis and drive a whole bunch of fans back to WWE for Aug. 21."
As far as the impact a loss could have on Lesnar's character in the WWE, Heyman isn't thinking about hypothetical scenarios and will just let the bout with Hunt play out come July 9.
"My father was an attorney in the state of New York, which is where I came up with the term advocate," Heyman said. "Very famously, a judge once said to my father, 'If, if, if, if ...' And my father said to the judge, 'I don't deal in ifs, I deal in absolutes. If my aunt had balls, she would be my uncle. She doesn't, so she's still my aunt and not my uncle.' I don't deal in ifs.
"Here's an absolute: Brock Lesnar is stepping into the Octagon on July 9 against Mark Hunt. Here is an absolute: Brock Lesnar is appearing at WWE SummerSlam on Aug. 21. Here's an absolute: Brock Lesnar will be featured on the cover of "WWE 2K17" on Oct. 11. I can't deal in ifs in hypothetical situations. I only deal in absolutes. Whatever happens in that Octagon will likely affect things moving forward, but let's wait until July 9."
Come July 9 in Sin City, all the what-ifs will be put away as Lesnar attempts to defeat Hunt and then all eyes will be on "The Beast" at SummerSlam.
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