5 of Brock Lesnar's best matches in the WWE

With UFC president Dana White announcing that Brock Lesnar would be competing in the UFC soon, it appears Lesnar will be done with the WWE after WrestleMania. Lesnar's contract expires after Mania and all signs point towards his departure after this event.

Wherever Lesnar's future may lie, there can be no doubt that he has been part of some classic matches in the WWE since his debut in 2002. The man dubbed 'the next big thing' had the quickest rise to the top of any superstar in WWE history and is to date the youngest WWE champion ever at just 25-years-old.

Lesnar had some classic matches with Kurt Angle, The Rock and The Undertaker during his first spell with the company. After departing the WWE in 2004, Lesnar would return in 2012 and appeared to be better than ever. His matches with John Cena, Triple H and CM Punk showed that his talents as a main event caliber superstar never waned.

Lesnar's strength, power and athleticism makes him one of the best performers in wrestling history and his versatility gives him the ability to have good matches against wrestlers of any style.

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#5 Brock Lesnar vs John Cena vs Seth Rollins - Royal Rumble 2015

Lesnar's performance at Royal Rumble 2015 is one of his finest to date

This was one of Brock Lesnar's finest WWE performances to date, the match highlighted the beast's quality in the ring and his status as the company's star attraction.

Most of this match revolved around Lesnar, he was hit with 3 attitude adjustment's and a curb stomp but survived. Even Cena ramming him through the barricade, into the steel steps head first and an elbow drop by Reigns through the table couldn't keep the 265 pound man down.

After Lesnar was put on a stretcher, the match appeared to be between Rollins and Cena but the beast returned to the ring and delivered German suplex's to both men and picked up the win after an F5 on Rollins.

The match highlighted Lesnar's ability to take punishment but also to dish it out, the beast's power and agility made this match incredibly fast paced and entertaining. Lesnar's late comeback was unexpected and added to this unpredictable match.

#4 Brock Lesnar vs The Rock - SummerSlam 2002

Lesnar became the youngest WWE champion at 25-years-old

At SummerSlam 2002 Lesnar captured his first ever WWE championship against the Rock, in a match that cemented his status as a main event level talent.

This was a very high paced match that Lesnar dominated with his power and agility, 'the next big thing' used his experience from his amateur background by getting the Rock down in a waist lock, this was a perfect illustration of his versatility in the ring.

Lesnar's use of the bear hug, the same move that he beat Hulk Hogan with previously, added to the intensity and drama of the match.

Lesnar won the match with an F5 after a back and forth ending. It was a contest with a 'big match' feel that delivered, both men had great chemistry in the ring and it made for a pulsating main event.

It is impossible to watch this match without thinking Lesnar is the complete wrestler, there was nothing he couldn't and didn't do in the ring.

Although Lesnar went into this match as the heel up against the hugely popular Rock, it is very telling that the fans were firmly behind him as he captured his first WWE title at just 25-years of age.

#3 Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns - WrestleMania 31

Lesnar lost his WWE heavyweight championship without getting pinned

This match probably gets forgotten due to Seth Rollins cashing in his money in the bank briefcase, but make no mistake, this was a great match and it told a compelling story.

Lesnar dominated this match early on with a series German suplex's, before uttering the term 'suplex city' for the first time. The beast's vicious and ruthless approach to this match added to the intensity of this main event.

Lesnar once again displayed his athleticism and power as he hit Reigns with a belly-to-back suplex from the outside of the ring to the inside. Lesnar's vicious side, in addition to his incredible core strength and power, makes the beast believable in the ring, and therefore makes matches like this highly engaging and worth multiple viewings.

The end to the match had fans on the edge of their seats, Lesnar was reeling after being sent into the ring post and hit with multiple superman punches by Reigns, both men went back and fourth until Seth Rollins cashed-in his money in the bank briefcase and won the title.

Although it was Rollins who prevailed, this match was all about the phenomenal story told between Lesnar and Reigns.

#2 Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle - WrestleMania XIX

Lesnar's botched shooting star press attempt on Kurt Angle

What is remarkable about this match is that despite both men picking up career threatening injuries, it was still a great contest.

Angle was due for neck surgery and Lesnar badly injured his neck after a botched shooting star press, however both men still put on a highly memorable match in the main event of this WrestleMania.

Both men had backgrounds in amateur wrestling, and it showed, as they began the match chain wrestling and trading holds.

Lesnar was able to combine his tremendous wrestling skill with power and agility, but he was also able to tell a compelling story, the shooting star press that he attempted to hit on Angle showed that there nothing he wasn't willing to try to get to the top. Despite the failed attempt, it is an iconic image of this WrestleMania.

Both Lesnar and Angle's ability to combine great wrestling with hard hitting moves added to this match, after both exchanged suplex's, Angle went back to his ground based offence.

This was an intriguing encounter due to these mix of styles and both men's ability to work in a slow mat based style and also at a quick tempo.

As well as being a phenomenal match, Lesnar's toughness was very evident here, his ability to finish the match with a precision F5 despite botching a shooting star press, is testament to his resilience and in-ring skill.

#1 Brock Lesnar vs CM Punk - SummerSlam 2013

Lesnar pinned CM Punk after an F5 onto a steel chair

It was the match that was dubbed the beast vs the beast and it certainly lived up to every expectation.

It is another mach that showed Brock Lesnar's ability to wrestle against stars with a very different skill-set to his own. Punk as the underdog, was on the back foot for the majority of the match, and Lesnar showed his ruthless side by countering everything Punk could throw at him.

The intense back and forth nature of this match made it a thrilling encounter, Lesnar getting Punk in an arm bar looked like it could legitimately break Punk's arm, but it was reversed into a triangle, Lesnar's impressive power was too much however, he picked up Punk and slammed him.

Much like Lesnar's matches with other smaller opponents, the match was built around the underdog Punk capitalising on mistakes made by 'the beast incarnate'. Also, being a no disqualification match the use of a chair by Punk was an equaliser and had Lesnar reeling.

It was a classic match with the smaller man surviving against all odds, Lesnar was the perfect dominating big guy whose dominance made him the perfect foil for Punk as the popular underdog. It was a thrilling match and had WWE fans on the edge of their seats.