We all know Brock Lesnar as one of the most feared athletes in WWE and UFC history, but here are 10 things you might not know about "The Beast".

His idol growing up was Arnold Schwarzenegger

Unsurprisingly given his freakish strength and bodybuilder physique, Lesnar’s idol as a child was Arnold Schwarzenegger. “The Terminator” star has his own relationship with the WWE, having made numerous appearances and even being inducted into the celebrity wing of the Hall of Fame in 2015.

He was college roommates with Shelton Benjamin

Lesnar transferred to the University of Minnesota where he would become close friends and college roommates with Shelton Benjamin. The two then went onto join the WWE together, being part of the famous development “Class of 2002” with John Cena, Randy Orton and Batista.

Youngest WWE champion in history

Brock made his debut on the night after WrestleMania episode of Raw in March 2002. Little over 5 months later, he was WWE Champion, defeating the Rock at Summerslam, in the process replacing “The Great One” as youngest WWE Champion ever. He was just 25.

Brock Lesnar isn't retiring from WWE just yet

Part of the only WrestleMania main event to feature two amateur wrestling champions

A year after debuting, Lesnar featured in his first WrestleMania, competing for the WWE Championship against Kurt Angle, the 1996 Olympic gold medallist. This made it the first main event to boast two amateur wrestling champions, with Lesnar having won the NCAA title in his senior year of college. It’s also the only main event where both superstars wrestled under their real names.

Signed by Minnesota Vikings in 2004

Lesnar shocked the wrestling world when he quit the WWE following WrestleMania 20 in 2004 stating an unhappiness with the heavy workload and travel, as well as a desire to pursue a football career. He ended up playing in several pre-season games with the Vikings before being cut. His failure to make the roster was not helped by a motorcycle accident a few months prior, which led to a series of nagging injuries.

The meaning behind the sword tattoo emblazoned across his chest and stomach

Lesnar has said that at the time of getting inked in 2005, he felt as If life was holding a sword right up to his throat. He never wanted to forget exactly how he felt so decided to have a constant reminder, as well as a motivation for better times.

Brock Lesnar WWE

The only man to win both the WWE and UFC heavyweight titles

At UFC 91 in November 2008, Lesnar won the UFC Heavyweight Championship, defeating MMA legend Randy Couture in what was just his third fight with the company. This made him the first and only man to win both WWE and UFC heavyweight titles, further solidifying his legacy.

Nearly died from diverticulitis

Lesnar’s UFC career began to slow down soon after his title win due to a battle with diverticulitis. The illness became so severe that several surgeries were required, the last of which involved removing 12 inches of his colon. The Beast himself said “it felt like I had taken a shotgun blast to the stomach, and then someone poured in some salt and Tabasco and stirred it up with a nasty pitchfork.” Quite a description.

He holds the record for most main events at Summerslam

Brock has competed in the main event of Summerslam on a staggering nine occasions, four more than any other superstar. After the Rock in his first main event, he has locked up with the likes of John Cena, Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker and most recently Roman Reigns. This record alone shows his box-office appeal.

Sable

Lesnar is married to none other than ex-WWE diva Sable (real name Rene Lesnar). The couple tied the knot in 2006 and have two sons. Their relationship has never been mentioned on WWE programming, likely due to Lesnar’s notorious privateness as well as not wanting to ruin the mystique of his character.