Currently recovering from shoulder surgery, former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos watched from the sidelines as the dramatic unveiling of Brock Lesnar’s grand return took place.

Dos Santos, who coached Season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter” alongside Lesnar, found out about his former rival’s impending reappearance at UFC 200 like the other mortals: reading about it. And he admitted to being pleasantly surprised when, a few days later, Mark Hunt – ranked No. 10 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA heavyweight rankings – was announced as the opponent.

“I like this matchup,” Dos Santos told MMAjunkie. “We know that charisma and marketing skills carry weight in the UFC, so when I saw that Lesnar was coming back and that his opponent hadn’t been chosen yet, I thought they might pick someone he could beat more easily. But I was impressed with the Mark Hunt choice. He is a very tough guy who can make his return complicated.”

Lesnar (5-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) and Hunt (12-10-1 MMA, 7-4-1 UFC) are set to co-headline UFC 200, which takes place July 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

“I think Lesnar will obviously try to get close and take him down and take the fight where he’s strongest,” said Dos Santos, who is also a UFC commentator for Brazilian network channel Globo. “He is very fast on the ground for his size. But Hunt is a very tough guy, with super heavy hands.

“It’s a dangerous fight for both, but I see more danger for Lesnar. Hunt is not just a skilled fighter; he knows how to knock people out. He’s got that timing. So when you fight a guy like him you have to be very careful because you can get knocked out at any minute.”

Lesnar hasn’t actually stepped onto the octagon since December 2011 and back-to-back losses. “JDS,” however, believes not all is lost.

“I think (Lesnar) can catch up with good training and sparring, if he stays active,” Dos Santos said. “Of course, it’s never the same. As much as the WWE has all those athletic movements, we know it’s theatrical, so after staying away from actual competition and getting back, it will take some preparation.

“Hunt, on his end, is a very experienced guy. He knows how to handle himself in these situations. He’s having a good moment in his career. He actually asked for a rematch against me (Dos Santos earned a knockout win at UFC 160), so who knows what could happen in the future.”

The future might be unclear, but in the past, Dos Santos nearly had his time in the octagon with Lesnar. After their “TUF 13” stint, they were set to headline UFC 131, in June 2011, but the wrestler had to withdraw due to a second brush with diverticulitis. Dos Santos ended up fighting (and beating) Shane Carwin.

Back then, Dos Santos didn’t mind the switch too much. But now, octagon-savvy enough to know a big fight when he sees one, Dos Santos has another perspective.

“I didn’t care too much – I never picked opponents and I never will,” Dos Santos said. “But had it happened now, I’d have seen it differently. Lesnar is one of those guys who sells fights and likes promoting them. I would be sad if our fight got canceled today because I think it would draw major numbers.”

But is it something that, in case Lesnar’s return turns out to be more long-lasting than initially considered, Dos Santos would like to see?

“It would be the finale that never happened,” Dos Santos said. “I think it should happen. As far as promotion goes, I think we’d make a good pair.”

Ultimately, the former champ is happy to see Lesnar’s return.

“I think he has a lot to offer because he’s a strong, dangerous guy,” Dos Santos said. “He’s tough. He is controversial and flashy. He is dangerous. He has a good skill set and the ability to turn events into shows – like he’s used to doing at the WWE. It’s cool having him back.”

As for his own octagon return plans, Dos Santos is still recovering from an injury suffered during his last bout – a dominant win over Ben Rothwell – but he wishes to be back before year’s end.

“I’m starting physical therapy next week,” he said. “Hopefully by mid-August I’ll be back to training. I’ll need 20 to 30 days to get back in shape and start my camp. I believe and hope I’ll be back by late November or December. I wanted to fight three times this year and couldn’t, but hopefully I can do a second one.”

For more on UFC 200, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.