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Brock Lesnar Illness - What are the Symptoms?

Brock Lesnar suffers from diverticulitis. (Getty Images)more pics »Brock Lesnar returned to the UFC to fight Alistair Overeem. It was a quick fight and Overeem took the win, especially after landing blows to Lesnar's surgically repaired midsection. Brock Lesnar has diverticulitis and he had surgery to address the illness.

Brock Lesnar has dropped out of UFC fights because of his illness. (Getty)
Diverticulitis, according to nih.gov, is small sacs or pouches of the inner lining of the intestine that become inflamed or infected, usually in the large intestine. This can cause a variety of things like left lower quadrant pain, fever, an elevation of white cell count in blood tests, and also things like nausea and diarrhea. The most common symptom is abdominal pain, but more severe issues can arise.

It's not really known what causes the pouches, but eating a low-fiber diet and too must processed food is one of the most likely causes. The sacs in the colon (called diverticulosis) is quite common -- and found in more than half of Americans over the age of 60. Not many cases develop into diverticulitis out, however.

Lesnar's diverticulitis has been around a while, and has returned and hampered his MMA career. There's speculation that his battle with the disease has come from steroid use and their connection with intestinal issues. However, others say it could be because of his size, huge diet, etc.

When the disease was first discovered, it caused a perforation that leaked fecal matter into his abdomen. Lesnar's case is one of the more serious, and it's uncertain how his MMA career will fare in the future.

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