The mere fact that he name checks Roy Nelson in this video is enough to support our suspicion that Jim Rome is an MMA fan, but a Brock Lesnar fan he certainly is not. Of all the possible reasons why that might be the case, Rome’s current issue with Lesnar seems to be that he was not sufficiently humbled by his brush with diverticulosis. It really seems to bug Rome that Lesnar could come so close to seeing his career ended and still come back firing pro wrestling-style one-liners at potential opponents. As if this isn’t the Lesnar we’ve all come to know and, if not love, then at least live with. As if a little hole in his stomach would be enough to turn him into Mr. Congeniality.

This is the same Lesnar who described his recovery as a miracle brought about by the power of his own mind. The antibiotics and dietary changes probably helped too, but that doesn’t sound as cool.

But of course he’s not going to tiptoe back onto the scene. The UFC’s heavyweight division is a lot like prison. If Lesnar shows any weakness (or kindness, same thing) the monsters in there will eat him alive. He’s got to show them that he hasn’t gone soft after spending the last few months on the couch flipping between Fox News and hunting shows. The best way to do that, short of actually beating someone up, is to pick up right where he left off by acting like as much of a jerk as ever.

Jim Rome of all people should understand this. It’s like when he got punked by Jim Everett. He didn’t tone down his annoying, in-your-face schtick after that. Instead he turned up the volume. Maybe the end result is him referring to people as ‘cats’ just a little too often for it to be cleverly ironic, but at least he can eat his lunch in the ESPN cafeteria without worrying about Kenny Mayne shanking him in the liver.  For now, anyway.