Brock Lesnar Honored by University of Minnesota Hall of Fame

Brock Lesnar has been inducted into the University of Minnesota's M Club Hall of Fame, and the former UFC heavyweight champion used the ceremony to look back at the people who shaped him long before his careers in professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.

Lesnar was a student-athlete at Minnesota, where he wrestled for the Golden Gophers and won an NCAA Division I national championship. After his college career he signed with WWE, and after leaving professional wrestling he turned to mixed martial arts, where he captured the UFC heavyweight title in only his fourth professional fight.

Thanks to family and coaches

During a question-and-answer session at the induction, Lesnar called it a very emotional night and said that no athlete reaches that level alone. He thanked his parents, John and Michelle, recalled growing up in Webster, South Dakota, and joked that he was never late for practice because his wrestling coach lived next door. He also thanked his junior college coach, Robert Finneseth.

Lesnar insisted the honor was not really about him. He described himself as someone who does not care about trophies or accolades and said he simply wanted to thank those who believed in him and helped him grow as a person. "It's unachievable without you," he told the parents and coaches in the room.

Lessons beyond the mat

The former champion also spoke about the culture inside the Minnesota athletic program. Like the inductees before him, he pointed to the camaraderie among the athletes and said the place simply felt like home. He credited the mentorship he received there with a lasting influence on his life, explaining that sport teaches many things beyond the sport itself and that this is what makes it special. He said that mentorship and the people who help shape an athlete as a person are what the honor is about.