“The guy’s a beast, man,” Neal said. “You’ve got to give him credit. He’s still a powerful beast of a man. He’s really impressive.”

So what about the flip side? Neal is a known UFC fan who trained with former champ Tito Ortiz and once pondered a future in the sport. But after multiple shoulder surgeries, those impulses are gone.

“I thought about it when I was younger,” Neal said. “I’m pretty happy with what I’m doing. If I have any part of my body left to do that stuff ... no, I don’t see it. I’ve had too many problems with my body that it would probably be hard to deal with those guys.”

Lesnar, for one, is intrigued by the thought of Neal giving it a chance.

“Obviously, he could become something great, but he’s in a great spot playing with the top team in the world,” Lesnar said. “If he ever tried (UFC) and could make weight, I’d have to say he could be a force to be reckoned with.”