There was a certain nervous energy in the air at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as Brock Lesnar, flanked by UFC President Dana White, made his way to a vacant ringside seat to watch the UFC Heavyweight title contest unfold. The questions of why Brock was there and what he intended to do threatened to overshadow what was sure to be an amazing fight for the company’s top belt.
One Daniel Cormier victory later and less than thirty seconds into his post-fight interview, Lesnar would answer those questions by storming into the octagon and shoving the newly-crowned UFC Heavyweight Champion to the canvas. The crowd roared with delight, fully appreciating the message behind the relatively simple gesture – Brock was coming back to the UFC and, more importantly, he was there to challenge the champion.
(Warning – Contains Strong Language)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymltxEqxWSA
This confrontation at UFC 226 in July was the most definitive confirmation we’d received of a long-circulating rumour: Brock Lesnar would be leaving the WWE and re-joining the UFC. With SummerSlam fast approaching, Sunday may be the last time that fans get to see the ‘Beast Incarnate’ compete in a WWE ring for a long time, possibly ever. And yet, this eventuality wasn’t greeted with anger or frustration by the wrestling community. While the UFC has been abuzz since Brock confronted Cormier, the WWE Universe has largely reacted to his rumoured departure with a sense of relief. Going into Sunday’s pay-per-view, many are even hoping for a Roman Reigns victory (or a Money In The Bank cash-in), so that their Brock Lesnar nightmare can finally end.
But how is it that two groups of fans can react in such diametrically opposing ways? How can one man be so polarising, generating glee in one arena while being spurned in another? Many explanations are proffered on the topic of why Brock is failing in the WWE. But clear answers are often obscured by emotion and conjecture. Why does it feel like Brock has exhausted all of his goodwill? In what follows, we look at some of the more common explanations in an attempt to properly understand where things went so wrong.
“He’s Never There”
I get it. Brock Lesnar is scheduled to appear on less episodes of Raw this year than Randy Orton is to have court-mandated workplace sensitivity training (…allegedly!).
We don’t ask for much. Just show up for work. It’s really difficult, if not impossible, to get invested in a character who doesn’t regularly appear on Monday nights. Plus, how can narratives evolve in his absence? How does he stay relevant? The fact is he should be there!
Here’s a secret though: facts are relative. They’re a fluid concept, easily manipulated and framed by a particular perspective. An absolute truth today could tomorrow evaporate like Renee Young two questions into an interview segment.
Consider this example: Since January 1 this year, Wrestler A has appeared eight times on Raw and wrestled a total of three matches. Wrestler B, in that same timeframe, has logged ten live WWE appearances and also competed in three matches. So presumably our feelings about both competitors will be similar, right? Well, you may already have worked it out, but Wrestler A is Brock Lesnar and Wrestler B… is Ronda Rousey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Soz1UAQUY
The difference between the two is not how often they’re on TV, but rather the impact that they make when they are there. After a shaky start, Rousey has turned into a human wrecking ball, tossing around moderately trained security guards like they’re dirty beach towels. Contrast that with Brock, who has been less ‘unchained Beast’ of late and more ‘slightly grumpy house cat lounging on a couch backstage’.
It’s not the number of times you show up, it’s what you do when you’re there. Don’t believe me? Brock has made a total of one appearance at a UFC event since July 2016. But that one appearance was purposeful; it was controversial, violent and sent a clear message. That’s how you build a star.
“His Matches Are Formulaic And Repetitive”
Yeah, well, that’s true of most wrestlers.
Whether it’s Roman’s superman punches, John Cena’s superhero comebacks or Seth Rollins’ super ending sequences, each performer has their preferred style and we tend to get no more than subtle variations of each.
‘Suplex City’ has been with us since 2014. But it wasn’t always a problem. In fact, Lesnar’s series of matches against Cena, The Undertaker and Goldberg are largely considered some of the best the WWE has put on in recent years. And all of those heavily featured German suplexes – just ask John Cena.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVs70Tqc-N8
The real concern isn’t the nature of the match, but rather the nature of the opponents.
During his UFC tenure, Lesnar fought the absolute best that promotion had to offer. He battled with MMA legends like Randy Couture, Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez. Each opponent tested him in different ways and promised a unique fight experience for the viewing public.
WWE, on the other hand, has been caught in the proverbial time bubble – repeatedly pitting their prized trophy against the same opponent again and again. It’s like a low-budget version of Groundhog Day, and we’re all playing the role of Bill Murray. Brock is about to have his fourth match of the year. Three of them have been against Roman Reigns. It’s not an exciting recipe.
“Lesnar Is Old And Doesn’t Draw Any More”
When the ‘Beast’ returned to the WWE in 2012, he did so with a singular objective: to obliterate Monday nights. Brock was on the warpath and we all loved it.
Now just over 500 days into his WWE Universal Title reign, however, sentiment has turned against Lesnar. No longer do people’s pulses quicken when his music hits, nor do his matches feel like must-see events. For several months now, WWE fans have been clamoring for Brock to drop the title and leave.
The comments often used to convey this sentiment revolve around Lesnar’s age. “His best days are behind him”, the assertion goes. “He’s just not a star anymore.”
Take a minute to listen to what former UFC heavyweight and current MMA pundit, Brendan Schaub had to say on the topic of Brock’s influence in the UFC (Warning, as always when Schaub speaks in complete sentences – strong language):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v08z4K_YG-4
“When I was fighting, why do you think I roasted Brock Lesnar? I wanted that [expletive] fight. Everyone wants that fight. That’s the cash cow. That [expletive] can go away for four years and come back; he is the goddamn cash cow.
“He tells Dana and the UFC how high to jump. He’s the only one. That [expletive] has more power than Conor [McGregor] and Ronda [Rousey] combined. If Conor and Ronda had a baby, that baby would not have more power than Brock Lesnar. I’m telling you that right now.”
That opinion certainly appears to be backed up by the cold, hard numbers. The UFC has had fifteen pay-per-view events that drew more than one million buys in its history. Lesnar has headlined four of them. In all four, he went in as the UFC Heavyweight Champion. The first event to feature a Heavyweight title defence after Brock lost the belt? UFC 146. Barely 500,000 people bought that PPV.
Similarly, Brock’s return to Monday night on the July 30 episode of Raw drew the highest ratings for the show since WrestleMania season in April and marked a startling recovery from its lowest ever viewership just a few weeks earlier.
Bottom line, Brock draws eyeballs. He, much like Carmella, is money.
“The Title Is Being Held Hostage”
This is the big one.
Quick, think of your favourite Brock Lesnar match of the past five years. Chances are he either wasn’t the WWE Universal champion at the time or it was a match in which he lost the title.
The four UFC PPVs headlined by Brock that I referred to earlier? They all fell within a two year period – not a bad work rate by MMA standards. Even between title defenses though, Brock made regular media appearances and performed other promotional activities. Essentially, whether he was in the octagon or outside of it, Lesnar’s presence was a constant. Their champ was there, holding the belt high and reminding people of who sat on the throne.
Contrast that with the WWE scene. Lesnar frequently disappears for months at a time, leaving any title builds largely rudderless. His absence is then compounded by the way he’s booked when he does return. Think back to the July 30th episode of Raw. Lesnar spent most of the show lounging backstage, reading magazines and pointing out to Paul Heyman that he never watches Raw. He was presented as a nonplussed champion who couldn’t care less about the company he represents or the title he holds.
As I see it, this is the real cause for people’s resentment of the ‘Beast.1 Not that BROCK isn’t there, but rather that the CHAMPION isn’t there.
There are many things wrestling fans can forgive: a lacklustre feud, limited move sets, stuttering promos. But a derelict champion is not one of those things. A champion carries more than just a belt; he carries the promotion. He’s responsible for being the face of a company, its talisman. Regardless of whether the champion is a face or a heel, it’s generally accepted that he be the figurehead of the promotion. He should display, at the very least, a hunger to hold onto the title.
Far from being the man to lead the WWE though, Brock instead insists on running it into the ground. That is, if he even bothers to show up.
The WWE deserves better. WE deserve better.
Onwards to SummerSlam.
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