Brock Lesnar 2012 - present run

[ColePens]

Do you think the Lesnar 2012 to present run was botched? Did you like it? Are you somewhere in the middle?

Quite honestly, there were like 3-4 actual parts of his return that I've enjoyed. And any time he is Champ, he's off tv so long that it makes the title feel worthless. It does not bring any value to the title whatsoever. In fact, I forget it even exists and I don't care for his current matches. They are boring beat downs.

Honestly I'd give up all the good that he's had just to have the streak back and ended with Taker. I know that's not his fault or decision, but that's my personal take. I don't think he's worth the time. I'm so annoyed with the part-time stuff and any time he is champ I just hate it. His feuds with high level wrestlers that he just punked were poorly booked.

For the record - Lesnar is so gifted and so amazing. I just feel like the whole return now got 5 years has been meh. I could have lived without it.

The good:
- Initial return 4/2/12 and Extreme Rules match with Cena (one of his best)
- Feud with CM Punk
- Rollins/Cena/Lesnar triple threat at Royal Rumble
- The Cena beatdown at Summerslam

The bad:
- Suplex city
- Ending the streak
- HHH program
- Reigns program
- Goldberg program

Click to read more...

 

[M.C.G. 31]

He shouldn’t have lost at all tbh. Not vs. Cena, not vs. HHH. Suplex City was fun as a one time attraction when squashing Cena but that’s about it. Everything after that point has kind of been botched imo but his performances are getting better more recently since he seems to care about making his opponents look good lately (Styles, Joe).

 

[Kimi]

The biggest problem with Lesnar, and much of the WWE, is the booking is terrible. Everything is meh because everything comes back to the Reigns push in the end. And Lesnar being a big star means he's right in the middle of that. So everything he does is tainted, even if it's not really bad in a vacuum.

Ideally he'd just be another guy on the roster. A full time, top tier star, who has great matches with the other top guys, and everyone would be happy. But this was never a possibility.

Given that he is a part time guy in the roll he's in, I'm mostly fine with everything. The suplex city thing really sucked interest form his matches, which is my biggest complaint, but outside that I'm not really fussed. Yeah having the title on TV might be better, but I don't mind him having it and being away. I'm not anchored to the concept that the champion needs to be everywhere all the time anyway, exposure is always the biggest problem. I've no issues with the Streak, nor the Goldberg program.

But not matter what, WWE is gonna WWE when it comes to booking. Right now, the best you can realistically hope for is 'not terrible', and they've mostly hit that with Lesnar. So yeah, mostly fine, so I guess that means in the middle.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

The biggest bad about the Lesnar run is that he never got to have a 1v1 match with Daniel Bryan because even though DB would've lost, they would've had a damn good match and better than Punk-Lesnar.

 

[GKJ]

Goldberg program is exactly what it should've been.

Ending the streak, would've rather him than Roman. More accurately, Paul Heyman.

His worst was Wrestlemania against Dean Ambrose

 

[JackSlater]

He shouldn’t have lost at all tbh. Not vs. Cena, not vs. HHH. Suplex City was fun as a one time attraction when squashing Cena but that’s about it. Everything after that point has kind of been botched imo but his performances are getting better more recently since he seems to care about making his opponents look good lately (Styles, Joe).

This is pretty true.

Lesnar is like an old fashioned monster, and that is a good thing. The problem with monsters is that the spectacle burns out once they become a normal attraction, which is why guys like Kane and Big Show can impress for short times but spend 90% of their careers fizzling. Lesnar is the only guy that can pull off a monster routine because he isn't part of the regular roster, and that is an asset. Having a legitimate old fashioned monster is a good thing as it gives at least one wrestler who is outside the norm. WWE's booking is terrible however, so things haven't been nearly as good as they should have.

Lesnar never, ever should have lost his first match to Cena. Ever. You have a legitimate wrestling monster, returning from being the actual UFC heavyweight champion. No wrestler in WWF/E history has ever had the legitimacy that Lesnar had. And he loses the first match back. I know that he dominated the match and just lost in the end, but it was incredibly stupid booking. Wins do matter in wrestling, and nothing hurts a monster more than losses. Classic Vince shortsighted booking.

Lesnar never should have lost to HHH. HHH isn't even a full time wrestler - he and the company gain nothing from his victory over Lesnar. All the loss did was bring Lesnar down to HHH's level. Classic HHH.

Lesnar never should have lost to the Undertaker, for pretty much the same reasons that he shouldn't have lost to HHH. Lesnar loses some of his lustre to elevate a part time legend. Nonsense. The rematch shouldn't even have happened.

Lesnar shouldn't have lost to Goldberg. The reasons are obvious. They should have been kept apart. Lesnar and the company gain nothing by Lesnar losing to Goldberg.

I have no problem with how they handled Lesnar title runs. Monsters are rarely involved in the title scene, and the way he lost it in the triple threat protected him while allowing the title to change hands and be seen more regularly. Suplex City is overdone and you would like to see more from Lesnar since the ability is there. Ending the Undertaker's streak was fine. It would actually be a good thing if they had booked Lesnar properly. Imagine a guy who showed up in 2012, fresh off being UFC heavyweight champion, broke the Undertaker's streak and hasn't been beaten since that time. In kayfabe terms beating Lesnar would be as significant as anything that has happened in wrestling history. WWE would have a huge chip to play with and help build someone. Inevitably it would be Reigns, but that doesn't diminish the value of the chip.

As has been noted in the thread, WWE's booking is just generally bad. Lesnar has been handled decently. It just could have been much better. Part of that is on Lesnar and his effort in some matches, but most of it is on WWE booking. WWE used Lesnar to elevate the four guys who needed it least, as insane as that is to believe.

 

[OmniSens]

Aside from giving Paul Heyman some new material from Lesnar ending the streak, it was a huge waste.

 

[Frankie Spankie]

I haven't liked him for a while. He's just incredibly boring. I find it odd because everyone hated on Reigns for having a very limited move set and constantly winning every match. Now that's Lesnar and people love him. Reigns, while I still find him incredibly boring as well, has improved, and he still keeps getting booed while Lesnar keeps getting cheered everywhere. I just feel like I'm watching bizarro WWE whenever he comes on. Everything that people criticize a wrestler for is present in Lesnar right now IMO but people eat it up and cheer for him.

Literally the only good thing about Brock is the fact that Paul Heyman is paired up with him.

 

[Mitchy]

Tired of him, tbh.

Suplex city is absolute stale boring shit.

 

[Paris in Flames]

Brock Lesnar could leave and not only would it not bother me but I would definitely prefer it.

He's lazy in the ring. Part of it is booking and how suplex city took off but his matches are almost identical to each other and if he doesn't want to...he ain't going to give you shit. See: his match with Dean Ambrose. That was awful and as much as Dean has fallen out of my favour...that's entirely on Brock.

He's never around which...Fine...that's how his contract is structured and how WWE wants to use him but if you're showing up and fighting every 4 months....you frankly shouldn't be the champion and in itself it makes the WWE creative look dumb for ignoring the "champion must defend the title every _____ days" rule that they stupidly use in storyline (Naomi for one) while Brock is off hunting in rural Saskatchewan.

Frankly. He's boring and he stinks now. The talent is still there. Heyman is an all time great mouthpiece but Brock could leave and I'd be pretty thrilled.

 

[AfroThunder396]

They just simply don't need him more. From 2012-2014 they were desperate for main event talent and he was that guy they needed him to be. Now with WWE cultivating NXT and the indies there's not real need for this kind of guy. Let Braun and Joe be the monsters.

 

[Mitchy]

To add, I also don't like how he hogs the main event. I get that he's a big attraction and that's why they try to save him up for the big PPVs, but it really does lessen the B PPVs. I mean, it's ridiculous to me that the title barely gets defended when he's champ. Him rarely defending the title doesn't elevate it to me. He's just taking away the spotlight from more deserving superstars.

The fact that he's been built up to be this undefeatable force just so Roman can go over him makes it all the more worse.

 

[The Gongshow]

At first I liked how he was off t.v with the title. TO ME it felt like he was a main event prize fighter, but it got old fast. He still seems like the final boss (due to some good and bad booking)

Suplex City got old fast too, if he mixed that in with other stuff then it would be great, not just a 5 minute match of germans.

Beating the Streak doesn't bother me as much. From beating the streak to beating Cena clean in the biggest 1 sided title match made Lesnar a HUUUGE deal.

He's definitely had some good feuds/moments tho since his return.
- Extreme Rules
- CM Punk match / feud
- Cena beat down
- Rumble Triple Threat
- Samoa Joe feud
- AJ Styles match

Lesnar vs Bryan would have been awesome, Lesnar vs Finn could be awesome. Lesnar vs Dean should have been awesome.

 

[Shoalzie]

I'm okay with a dominant guy but I want some variety and intrigue with his matches. That's why the A.J. match was fun. Looked like a potential squash until A.J. cranked up the intensity and it was a well-done match. Just another feather in the cap of A.J. getting great matches against any guy in the company.

The Goldberg squash was different and unexpected but I wouldn't call what they did in the ring as compelling. Brock's best stuff was with Joe, Braun and A.J. this year.

 

[Loosie]

Suplex City killed everything he's done this run IMO.

 

[Hypernova]

His matches are boring unless he wrestles AJ (who would have guessed), suplex city is boring, Heyman's 5 minute promos are boring and every story line with him goes exactly the same way, super boring. I wanted him to leave so bad.

 

[Cor]

Was a great start, for the most part IMO.

But ever since Suplex city, it has given the WWE, the agents, and Brock the chance to essentially mail it in, which sucks. Brock is such an incredible athlete, that wasting him on suplexes and an F-5 should be considered a crime.

The stuff with Braun has been great for the most part. A one-on-one with Braun at WrestleMania (which would just be a complete car crash) with Braun going over would do so much.

Alas, Braun and Brock will have another short stand off at Royal Rumble, before Brock pins Kane, and then Roman gets the Brock rub in the Mania main event

 

[TNT87]

I will be very happy when he is no longer the champ.

 

[GarbageGoal]

He never should have lost prior to beating Taker. Would have made that match so much better and the crowd more engaged.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

I'm beyond done with him mailing it in, and sometimes actively refusing to do anything (Dean Ambrose at WM).

I'm beyond done with them fattening him up on the bones of the rest of the roster for slaughter by Roman at WM.

 

[Sheppy]

I like Lesnar quite a bit actually. I think he’s a tremendous seller, the guy sells chokeslams and high impact moves better than anyone.
Wish he did a little more than suplexes though.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I like Lesnar quite a bit actually. I think he’s a tremendous seller, the guy sells chokeslams and high impact moves better than anyone.
Wish he did a little more than suplexes though.

This is the greatest chokeslam ever:

 

[Sheppy]

This is the greatest chokeslam ever:

I remember that like it was yesterday... The height is absolute insanity. He's always made Taker look fantastic and Taker has done the same.

 

[JackSlater]

This is the greatest chokeslam ever:

So good. No really big guy has had Lesnar's level of ability. It's too bad that he left for what should have been his prime.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

So good. No really big guy has had Lesnar's level of ability. It's too bad that he left for what should have been his prime.

I'll always deem Lesnar to be a once in a generation, or even lifetime, athlete. The guy went from wrestling, almost made the NFL, had a successful UFC run, and came back to WWE without missing much of a beat at all. Even in his 40s, he's still super agile and quick. He's legitimately a once in a generation or lifetime athlete.