As mentioned in passing last December, former WWE World Champion turned MMA sensation Brock Lesnar was hospitalized with a mystery illness that took the self-described Conservative Republican out of action until this morning’s press conference anouncing a return to Dana White’s UFC promotion this summer.  During a press conference earlier today, Lesnar used the opportunity to blame his condition on an unidentified Canadian hospital, along with insisting, “we don’t need socialistic health care in America.” From the Vancouver Sun’s Chris Parry :

Lesnar had felt unwell for some time when he was struck down in a hunting lodge in a location he refused to disclose, only to state it was three hours from the nearest medical facility.

That unnamed medical centre, which is said to have been in Gimli, Man. (population 5797), wasn’t up to the fighter’s standards.

“I love Canada,” said Lesnar. “Some of the best people and best hunting in the world, but I wasn’t in the right facility.”

“They couldn’t do nothing for me,” he added. “It was like I was in a Third World country, I just looked at my wife and she saved my life and I had to get out of there.”

Lesnar refused to disclose whether the Canadian facility that he felt was inadequate was a major city hospital or a rural outpost, but claimed that the care he received in the United States, and later at the prestigious Mayo Clinic, was far superior and thus was evidence that the U.S. health care system is the best in the world.

Lesnar, who has his own health insurance but also benefits from coverage paid for by the UFC, said “I’m just stating the facts; I love Canada, I own property in Canada but if I had to choose between getting care in Canada or the United States, I’d choose the United States.”

“I hate to bash them but, I’m not one to get into the political side of things but our health care system is a little radical ” we have the best doctors in the world. Our system does need some restructuring but I don’t believe a total reform is the answer.”