Ask a U.F.C. Fighter

Brock Lesnar

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (a mixed martial arts organization) began in the early 1990’s with the motto “There Are No Rules!” but a variety of fouls have since been established:

1. Butting with the head.
2. Eye gouging of any kind.
3. Biting.
4. Hair pulling.
5. Fish hooking.
6. Groin attacks of any kind.
7. Putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on an opponent.
8. Small joint manipulation.
9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head.
10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow.
11. Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea.
12. Clawing, pinching, or twisting the flesh.
13. Grabbing the clavicle.
14. Kicking the head of a grounded opponent.
15. Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent.
16. Stomping a grounded opponent.
17. Kicking to the kidney with the heel.
18. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck.
19. Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area.
20. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
21. Spitting at an opponent.
22. Engaging in an unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to an opponent.
23. Holding the ropes or the fence.
24. Using abusive language in the ring or fenced area.
25. Attacking an opponent on or during the break.
26. Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee.
27. Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the period of unarmed combat.
28. Flagrantly disregarding the instructions of the referee.
29. Timidity, including, without limitation, avoiding contact with an opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece, or faking an injury.
30. Interference by the corner.
31. Throwing in the towel during competition.

Like boxing in the early 1900’s, mixed martial arts have been banned in certain cities, and John McCain once called them “human cockfighting.”

But when the sport went prime-time in March, it pulled higher TV ratings than the Stanley Cup Finals.

Here’s how Forbes sums up the Ultimate Fighting Championship league: “a Las Vegas company that started as a smutlike fight club that’s now worth maybe $1 billion and is drawing competitors like flies to blood.”

Brock Lesnar will be one of those competitors in his matchup tomorrow with Heath Herring in Lesnar’s hometown of Minneapolis. After winning an N.C.A.A. wrestling championship in 2000 and then starring in the W.W.E., Lesnar briefly played football (a tryout with the Minnesota Vikings) but said he found his calling in mixed martial arts in 2006. After a win over Min Soo Kim in his pro debut, Lesnar entered the U.F.C. in February.

He is married to Sable, another former female W.W.E. wrestler. They often joke about who gets more autograph requests at U.F.C. events.

Lesnar has agreed to take your questions, so fire away. As with past Q&A’s, we will post his answers here in short time.

Addendum: Lesnar answers your questions here.