It's been a few weeks since former UFC champion Brock Lesnar announced his retirement from the octagon, and wrestling fans around the world have been eager to hear news about his return to the WWE. But is a return to the fictitious and animated world of pro wrestling even in the cards?
There have been hints leading to a return to the WWE since last year, when Lesnar had a public confrontation with the Undertaker at a UFC event which caused quite a media buzz. There was even some speculation that Lesnar would be Taker's Wrestlemania 28 opponent, but that honor fell in the hands of Triple H instead. Then word leaked of a contract between Lesnar and the WWE, where his character would be used on some promotional items including the most recent WWE video game where Lesnar would be featured as a playable character. It's been a while since Lesnar competed in a WWE ring so the concept of dream matches on a gaming console got fans all riled up. Yet the reality of these matches actually happening might just be right around the corner.
Lesnar is still under contract with the UFC, and president Dana White intends on having Brock fulfill his contractual commitment and term. Even though Lesnar is retired from active competition, he can still be used as an analyst, commentator, trainer, spokesperson, etc. And in the competitive world of full contact sports, White is not ready to let his cash cow go back to what is still considered competition.
While the rigorous year-round travel schedule isn't much of a selling point to convince Brock to return to pro wrestling, I'm sure the money is! You have to speculate what the prospect of having him return would to for WWE business, but you also have to factor how Brock would fit into this new PG product. Sure this bad ass left the pre-determined world of pro wrestling for the barbaric cage wars - but you can't expect his realistic animal instincts and ruthless aggression to retire as well. Can Brock hang with the new school of competition? Would he be difficult to work with in terms of putting over his opponents because he's sensitive about how strong his character is portrayed?
I guess when it comes to fantasy booking Brock Lesnar in pro wrestling, the first opponent that comes to mind is The Undertaker. Sure, there's legit heat there - but both guys have stated that they'd be willing to participate in a shoot fight with each other. That match would make big money for the WWE and even bigger money if it was hosted at Wrestlemania. But would Vince serve up the Taker for that opportunity? Might not make a difference since he only works one day a year anyway. Then again, does the Taker want to risk the legacy of his Mania streak in a shoot fight? On the flip side of the coin, if he were to lose and end the streak - what better way to end it than in a real fight? If you're that badass, put your money where your mouth is and let the fighting do the talking.
The one thing nobody has on their side is time. Undertaker is a match or two away from retirement. Vince isn't as hands-on as he use to be and the sand in his time glass almost empty. As for Brock, his health was an issue during his UFC career - so how much of a factor will it take on a pro wrestling return. And last but not least, how much time does the prospect of a return have before the fans lose interest and the value of a return begins to lose stock?
This post is sponsored in part by Bay Club & Massachusetts Insurance Directory
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