Brock Lesnar dominated Big Ten collegiate wrestling from late 1998 to mid 2000. Dominating opponents left and right, he earned a reputation for disposing oppenents as quickly as they came, earning nicknames such as "Terminator" or "RoboCop".

Lesnar grew up on a farm near Webster, South Dakota. He took up wrestling and went from a 3rd place finish at the South Dakota prep championships to a 33-0 record in his senior year of high school. Choosing little Bismarck Junior College in North Dakota, Brock first earned his keep by winning the Heavyweight bracket in the North Dakota State University's annual Bison Open Tournament by beating Brent Boeschans of Minnesota, a school that is a major force in the world of NCAA wrestling. In 1998, Brock won his 2nd straight Bison Open title, and became the Heavyweight (285 lbs.) bracket champion in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), just before BJC discontinued its wrestling program due to financial cuts following the 1997-98 school year.

Minnesota wrestling coach J Robinson watched Brock in awe at the Finals of the NJCAA and managed to sign him to transfer to Minnesota. In just 2 years at BJC, Brock had accumulated a 56-3 record. Once he became a member of the Minnesota Gophers, Brock seized the attention of Big Ten and NCAA wrestling fans with his chiseled, ripped physique and a Bill Goldberg-like dominance of opponents, going 24-1 in his first year, with his only loss coming from Iowa State's Trent Hynek). Wading through the competition, Minnesota won the Big Ten wrestling title in 1999, ending a 25 year win streak of arch-rival Iowa.

Unfortunately, Lesnar lost in the finals of the NCAA Championships to Stephen Neal of Cal State-Bakersfield in a 3-2 decision that cost Minnesota a chance to be National Champions; arch-rival Iowa won instead. In 2000, Brock and company wanted to prove that 1999 was no fluke. As he had in the past, Lesnar tossed aside all opponents, coasting to a 26-1 record (with his defeat at the hands of a close 5-3 decision from Iowa's Wes Hand) and ranked as the #1 heavyweight in the Big Ten. Brock avenged his loss by destroying the Heavyweight bracket at the NCAA finals, then defeating Hand with a 3-2 decision in overtime with an escape in the final match, achieving a lifelong dream by becoming an NCAA heavyweight champion. Overall, his career wrestling record is 106-5 (56-3 at BJC, 50-2 at Minnesota).

He is known as "The Next Big Thing" in professional wrestling. Now Brock Lesnar is ready to prove he's all that in the NFL.

Lesnar, who was one of pro wrestling's most promising prospects, shocked the grappling world earlier this year when he announced that he was chucking it all for a shot at pro football. The stunning declaration was met with disdain by some in the wrestling business who felt they had sacrificed to make Lesnar a millionaire during his relatively short time in the profession. Others dismissed his lofty plans as being merely the pipe dream of a naive 27-year-old who hadn't played football since his senior year in 1995 at Webster High School in South Dakota.

Even gridiron experts scoffed at Lesnar's dogged determination. They dubbed him a long, long shot and speculated that Lesnar, an amateur standout in wrestling but with no college football experience, could never make such a transition and land a spot with an NFL team.

The three-time WWE heavyweight champion, though, may be getting the last laugh. Lesnar already has made believers out of those who accused him of being just another media spectacle.

At 11:16 a.m. Monday, Lesnar took down Larry Ned for his first tackle since 1995 at Webster High, during the first full-pad practice at the Minnesota Vikings training camp. Despite the naysayers, Lesnar's brawn, quickness and tenacity were enough to convince the Vikings he was worth signing and bringing to training camp as a defensive tackle.

"He made his first tackle; so he got his first kiss," Vikings head coach Mike Tice told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "He grew up some. We were pleased. He's been working hard, and I thought it was important for him to get a little taste today and see what it's like. I'm sure his head was spinning some, but he was able to make a tackle."

"I really wouldn't call myself a rookie. I am more like a water boy right now," said Lesnar, who was stood up at the line and pushed down the field several times playing against the third-team offense.

While it's still a long shot that Lesnar will make the final roster, his chances are better than they were several months ago when he announced he was leaving an annual $1.5 million pro wrestling contract on the table for a shot at living his dream.

"This is the real deal," he said then. "It's something I want to do. I wanted to play football out of college, but I followed the dollar signs instead of my heart. I decided I didn't want to look back when I was 50 and wonder if I could have played in the NFL."

Lesnar, whose only college offers for football came from Division II schools, signed a contract with the Vikings for the league minimum of $230,000, but he gets that only if he makes the final 83-man roster.

Tice has been supportive but realistic regarding Lesnar's chances of making the team. Calling him "a project, but as strong as an ox," Tice says Lesnar is perfect for the practice squad, which would pay considerably less at around $85,000, yet would still be an incredible athletic achievement. But it hasn't been all about money anyway, says Lesnar. It's been about having the opportunity to pursue a lifelong dream.

Lesnar won an NCAA heavyweight wrestling title at Minnesota in 2000, one year after finishing as runner-up and two years after winning the national junior college heavyweight title at Bismarck (N.D.) College. He beat The Rock in 2002, only two years after turning pro, to become the youngest WWE champ ever at 26. He followed that up by defeating former Olympic gold medal winner Kurt Angle twice for the title in 2003. But the money, glamour and perks as a pro wrestler just weren't bringing him happiness, with Lesnar lamenting that there was no difference between being a poor dairy farmer and a millionaire.

Earlier this year he confided to friends and colleagues that the wrestling business had taken a heavy toll on him. Likely looking at many of his fellow performers and taking note of their injury-riddled bodies, he said he wanted to be able to walk when he was 40. He found the travel schedule to be grueling and even spent $400,000 on his own eight-seat, twin-engine plane to ease the burden. More importantly, he wanted to be closer to home, back in Minnesota with his 2-year-old daughter.

Lesnar asked for his release from WWE in April, walking away from a guaranteed salary of $1.5 million per year. He then went to Tempe, Ariz., where he spent nearly three months in an elite athletic performance program designed to prepare him for football. According to a performance specialist, the freakishly strong Lesnar bench-pressed 475 pounds, did a 695-pound squat and ran a 4.65 40-yard dash in April.

The original plan was to have a number of NFL teams watch Lesnar work out in Tempe. That changed when he was injured in a motorcycle mishap in which he suffered a groin injury as well as a broken jaw and left hand. The Vikings were the only NFL team to work him out, which was fine since Lesnar started for the Gophers wrestling team in 1999-2000 and now lives in a spacious home on 47 acres in Independence, Minn. Eight teams rejected Lesnar immediately because of his lack of experience.

Although the injury hampered him during his June workout, Lesnar was still able to run a 40-yard dash in 4.75 seconds. Tice admitted he was leaning toward signing Lesnar after that workout, but he wanted another look, just to be sure.

After four more weeks to rest the groin, Lesnar was at full strength at the Vikings' training camp. A one-year agreement came together soon after he was put through a rigorous 45-minute workout designed to test the injury.

Lesnar has a number of things going for him. He's a world-class athlete, extremely agile and quick for a man his size (6-3, 290 pounds, with a 56-inch chest, 34-inch waist, 21-inch biceps, 20-inch neck and nine percent body fat). Like in pro wrestling, line play in the NFL is about leverage and overpowering your opponent, which works in the rookie's favor. Moreover he's got passion and a tenacious work ethic. He starts practice two hours early. He stays late. He's pulling down a training camp stipend of $750 a week.

Lesnar, who was accompanied to his first day of training camp by fiancÈe and WWE diva Rena "Sable" Mero, has been practicing at the same tackle position occupied by Chris Hovan, an avid wrestling fan who has been friends with Lesnar for several years and is rooming with him at camp.

Some NFL experts feel that Lesnar has a legitimate shot at playing special teams this season, but would need a couple years experience to play the line.

"He's a great guy, a great athlete," WWE spokesman Gary Davis said. "He made his mark and had quite an accomplished run. Who knows? Once he has pursued his dream of the NFL, maybe he'll want to do something with the WWE again. We're very excited for him."

Brock is currently the MMA UFC Heavyweight Champion, leaving professional wrestling and football behind for Extreme Fighting.