For anyone who has followed in the footsteps of someone who has come before you, you know how difficult a task this can be. Now imagine that the individual your coming up behind is a 6’3, 300lb monster that is a former WWE and UFC champion.

This doesn’t sound like an ideal situation, does it?

This, however, is the reality for Bellator rising star Logan Storley, and he doesn’t shy away from it, he embraces it.

Cageside Press recently caught up with the Golden Gopher alum to talk about comparisons to Brock Lesnar, training with Robbie Lawler, and staying active.

Storley was an All-American at the university of Minnesota as a true freshman and he never looked back. He compiled a Big-Ten record of 27-3 during his four years as a Golden Gopher.

With that kind of dominance, I was curious as to when Storley caught the wrestling bug, “I started wrestling when I was five years old,” Storley said. “I started to really get into it in fourth or fifth grade, that’s when I realized this is what I wanted to do.”

The comparisons are obvious, both Lesnar and Storley attended the same university, they are both from small South Dakota towns, and they both parleyed their collegiate success in to MMA careers.

“It means a lot to me, that’s a great guy to be compared to and to look up to,” Storley said in regards to the Lesnar comparisons. “I got to spend time with him [Lesnar] when I was in High School, I watched him go through training camp. We are on two different journeys though, but I do seek advice from him time to time.”

Lesnar has been all over the MMA world as of late, it seems he and Jon Jones are destined for a super fight sometime in 2018. I was curious as to what Storley thought of this potential blockbuster fight.

“I bet Jones wants that fight,” Storley added. “Who knows though, Lesnar looked good in his last fight, if the money is right for these guys, yea I see this fight happening.”

Storley makes quick work of his opponents, having finished five of his six fights in the first round. That being said, the Golden Gopher is growing as a mixed martial artist every time he steps foot in the Bellator cage.

The elbows that he finished Kemmyelle Haley with in his last fight were no fluke, “I’ve spent a lot of time with Robbie Lawler,” Storley maintained. “Robbie and I drilled that exact position for two weeks before the fight, when the fight started I was able to get right to it.”

At 24 years old, the South Dakota native isn’t looking to waste any more time, “I want to fight before the year ends,” Storley said. “I’m trying to stay active, I had a year off last year and I don’t want to do that ever again.”

One thing is certain, Scott Coker knows how to find diamonds in the rough, and with Storley, Coker may have the brightest star in the making.