What If Brock Lesnar never left WWE?

Welcome to another edition of my "What If?" Series, where I discuss a number of different scenarios that could have happened if things went differently. Today, I would like to tackle another "What If?" situation that has been on my mind for some time. What if Brock Lesnar never left the WWE?

Let us go back to 2004. Brock was at the top of his game as a 3-time WWE Champion. Lesnar conquered whatever and whoever came in his path. He scored incredible victories over The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, as well as Kurt Angle to name a few. Brock had the wrestling world at his fingertips, as Vince McMahon had huge plans for him to lead WWE into the future. Lesnar was on the cover of WWE Smackdown! Here Comes The Pain, the best game on Playstation 2 in the pre-Smackdown vs Raw Era. He was making a very historic rise in the WWE, as he was becoming a special attraction in his own right. Brock was poised to be the face of the company for the next generation. Suddenly, things changed as Brock made his exit after WrestleMania XX. After failing to make the Minnesota Vikings roster, Brock would spend time in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Lesnar would become an even bigger star in the UFC, as he became the biggest box office draw that the promotion has ever had. Lesnar garnered mainstream attention from ESPN, Sports Illustrated and other outlets that flocked to UFC Events for coverage. By the time Brock returned in 2012, he brought his mainstream status with him as the UFC fans started watching WWE whenever he was on. We all know how Brock's WWE Career has turned out since then.

Now, I would like to dive into different scenarios that Lesnar would have fit in had he not left WWE in the first place. When Brock left, WWE was short on heels for their Smackdown brand. Triple H did not like to work on the Tuesday schedule for Smackdown tapings, so he was out of the picture. With that said, John Bradshaw Layfield enters the picture as the heel that Eddie Guerrero has to defend his WWE Championship against. I believe that JBL was an emergency choice, because Brock had left. Let's say Brock decides not to leave. If that happens, he defeats Goldberg at WrestleMania and seeks revenge of his WWE Title. I doubt that JBL even becomes champion, let alone hold the title for as long as he held it. Brock turns his attention to Eddie Guerrero and defeats him for the title. Lesnar could feud with Undertaker going into Summerslam and maintain his momentum for the rest of the year.


With that said, it is time to move into 2005. This is the most important part of history to cover regarding Brock Lesnar staying in WWE...

The Rise of John Cena:

This was the time where Vince McMahon was changing the guard since Brock's absence. JBL and Eddie Guerrero were the veterans that would keep the belt warm until VKM decided to crown a new face of the company to build around. JBL has one of the longest reigns for a heel in WWE History until he is dethroned by John Cena at WrestleMania 21. As we all know, the Cena Era had just begun. In this change of history, Cena wins the Royal Rumble as Batista still feuds with Triple H for the World Heavyweight Title. In the main event, John Cena challenges none other than The Beast himself, Brock Lesnar. With Lesnar still in the company, JBL would be in the mid card. Brock's impact would limit how many World Titles Cena, Batista, Edge and Randy Orton would win during their tenure. Cena would have still made a name for himself, but not in a way that outshines Brock Lesnar. John has been able to outshine Batista, Edge, and Orton, but I am uncertain that he would do the same thing with Lesnar. Brock could have as many world titles as those aforementioned names. Brock could even have more world titles than them. Who knows? I am just throwing out scenarios that Brock could fit in. It does seem like Lesnar's departure draws correlations with Cena's rise to the top.



WrestleMania 22 could look different. Brock could defend the title against Triple H instead of having Cena come into Mania as champion. Brock could even become WHC (World Heavyweight Champion) instead of building Rey Mysterio as a tribute Champion for Eddie Guerrero. Brock might be the one to break Undertaker's streak long before WrestleMania XXX. He would be much more believable than Mark Henry.

At WrestleMania 23, Brock could challenge Batista for the World Heavyweight Title instead of Undertaker. He could even challenge Cena for the WWE Title instead of Shawn Michaels.

At WrestleMania 24, Brock could be the marquee attraction against Floyd Mayweather. Then again, Floyd could find himself in the hospital trying to fight Brock, lol. Lesnar could be in the Main Event against Edge for the WHC. Lesnar would be a fixture in the Title picture. Brock could feud with Edge heading into Summerslam. Perhaps a potential Hell In A Cell match. The Rated-R Superstar versus The Conqueror.

For WrestleMania 25, Lesnar could either enter as the Royal Rumble winner or he could defend the title against Randy Orton. Brock vs Randy would create for another great dynamic. The Beast vs The Viper. Orton was on fire during his "Age of Orton" period and as the Apex Predator. Brock was the Youngest WWE Champion in history when he defeated The Rock at Summerslam 2002 at age 25. Two years later, Randy became the Youngest World Champion at age 24. You could even have Brock win the Rumble as he defeats Triple H at WrestleMania XXV for the WWE Championship.

Relationship with Paul Heyman...

I believe that Brock would still have his partnership with Paul Heyman because Brock would have been a major motivation for him during this time. After Brock's exit, Heyman re-launched ECW for their One Night Stand PPV and other things beyond that. Things started out great with ECW, but eventually things fell apart. With Lesnar still in the mix, Paul would have created different scenarios for himself and Brock. They seem to be inseparable, so Heyman might have either had Brock be a part of the ECW PPV or he might have just left ECW alone.

The Voice of CM Punk...

Would CM Punk still be able to light a fire among the wrestling world and the IWC if Brock Lesnar stayed? That is another thing to take into consideration. When CM Punk joined WWE in 2005 under Ohio Valley Wrestling, the company did not want to see him succeed. Punk mentions this in his documentary "Best In The World". Phil credits Paul Heyman for believing in him and defending him while the higher ups saw no value in the name "CM Punk". Heyman was only able to do that, because Brock Lesnar was not around. So, that meant he was free to help Punk out. Had Lesnar stayed, Paul's hands would have been full on the main roster. With that said, Punk may have still been voiceless in WWE as he might have taken that same passion and intensity to TNA. The Summer of Punk would probably be in TNA. Then again, Paul could probably still find a way to bring Punk on the main roster. Imagine CM Punk in the TNA Hall of Fame. I know, it takes some time to digest.


WrestleMania XXX:

This is where this alternate timeline comes full circle. As we know, this was the most historical night of Brock's career when he did the unthinkable. On this night, he broke The Undertaker's WrestleMania Streak. Breaking The Streak was the Ultimate way to rebuild Brock as a monster after his losses to John Cena and Triple H. I did not want the streak to end, but if anyone were to end it, it was Brock. Now that Brock has become the most dominant figure in wrestling, does he really need to end the Streak? I doubt it. Instead, you could have an Evolution Triple Threat between Batista, Triple H and Randy Orton. Maybe Undertaker's Streak is still intact, or John Cena could be the 1 in "21-1". If you thought that Brock got heat from the Internet about ending the Streak, Cena might get death threats over that. Perhaps The Streak does not reach this point, because Lesnar could have conquered it much sooner. This leads up to the ultimate point, Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Bryan. Daniel could win the Royal Rumble instead of being excluded. That way, Batista does not get crucified by the fans for winning the Rumble and booed out of the building. Instead, Bryan can head into WrestleMania as the number 1 contender to face Brock Lesnar for the title. In this scenario, Daniel would not have to have the Authority be a thorn in his side and insult him as a "B+ Player". Maybe, Bryan could have his shining WrestleMania Moment by winning the WWE Championship from the Monster that has ruled WWE with an Iron fist for the past decade: Brock Lesnar. Or, CM Punk could very well have the WrestleMania Main Event that he has been crying about. Just another variety of scenarios.

Historical Impact:
Brock was becoming the face of WWE in the post Austin/Rock Age of Wrestling. He was burnt out and left prematurely. If the fans of the Internet despise John Cena right now, they might have more hatred towards Brock Lesnar. Instead of "Super Cena", we could see "Super Brock" as Lesnar could monopolize the title picture during his Era. The Most Impactful stars who were the Mainstream face of WWE are Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Rock and John Cena. If history had turned out differently, Brock's name would be there instead of Cena. Who knows? Brock could have a movie career and advertising deals through WWE the way that Cena has them. He could have played Drax in "Guardians of the Galaxy" instead of Batista. I believe Lesnar made a great point when he said that if he stayed there would be no John Cena. John would not be as much of a massive star if Brock stayed. We already saw the massacre that Brock delivered at Summerslam when he Suplexed John Cena out of the Main Event to become WWE/World Heavyweight Champion. The one thing that I am certain of is that Cena would not be a 15-time WWE Champion knocking on the door of history ready to break Ric Flair's record. We also would not have to live with that stupid Spinner Belt.

Painting Courtesy of: Rob Schamberger (Twitter: @RobSchamberger)

2014 Year End Awards (Wrestling)

Happy New Year Everyone! As we close out a very noteworthy year, I would like to present my Awards for the best performers in the last year. I would like to recognize who stood out the most, best matches, etc. My criteria for the awards are as follows:

Consistency
Match Quality
Storyline Quality
Innovation
Rivalry Chemistry

I am doing my best to model my awards after the blueprint of PWI, while adding my own creativity with my own twist. May you enjoy. 

Diva of the Year: Paige
Paige has done an incredible job carrying the Divas Division from day one when she made her debut the night after WrestleMania. That night on RAW, Paige put herself on the map when she scored an upset victory over AJ Lee to become the new WWE Divas Champion. The win ended AJ's 295 day title reign, the longest of the Modern Era (Women's version of CM Punk's title reign). Paige continued to carry the ball with her ongoing feud with AJ, along with strong performances to hold up the sinking ship known as Women's Wrestling.

 

Tag Team of the Year: The USO's
This was an undisputed choice. In an Era where the Tag Team Division is a shell of what it once was, the USO's have been the most consistent team in an otherwise lackluster era. Jimmy and Jey started their year of dominance by defeating the Legendary, Hall of Fame New Age Outlaws to become the new World Tag Team Champions. They would go through the Wyatts before losing the titles to the Dust Brothers. Not long after they won the Slummy for Tag Team of the Year, the USO's would defeat The Miz and Mizdow to regain the belts. The USO's would end the year strong as Tag Team Champions.

 

Dominant Performance of the Year: Brock Lesnar winning the WWE Title

This deserves recognition. We have NEVER seen a WWE Champion lose the title this way in his prime. Not Austin, Rock, Hogan, etc. Brock Lesnar continued his momentum from breaking the streak by demoralizing and dismantling John Cena. When you watch this match, you would think that you were watching a longer version of King Kong Bundy vs SD Jones at WrestleMania I. Lesnar wiped the ring and Staples Center with Cena. John only got at least four moves of offense as Brock drilled him with 16 German Suplexes and 2 F-5's to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Lesnar made Cena look like  This is clearly the start of the change of the guard as Cena became the transitional champion. Brock will now be the channel that the title passes through once Wrestlemania comes around.

 

Surprise of the Year: Brock Lesnar breaking the Streak

The Superdome in New Orleans was dead silent the night of April 6, 2014 at Wrestlemania XXX. There were many surprises this year, but this stands out because of the historical impact. Brock Lesnar did the unthinkable. He CONQUERED hallow ground, as he ended the Undertaker's Wrestlemania Streak. The Streak was the last larger than life, heroic spectacle that fans had to look forward to. The match itself was subpar, but the finish is what elevated it overall. When Brock hit the F-5 for the last time as the ref counted to three, the world stood still. The victory was earth shattering. This is not a lame cliché, but it is how things really were in the world of wrestling. This made headlines all over the globe. The Internet went insane. Brock Lesnar made history on the 30th Anniversary of Wrestlemania. Not only was it historic, but career redeeming for Lesnar as well.

Inspirational Wrestler of the Year: Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan without question was the biggest inspiration this past year. He had the watershed Wrestlemania Moment when he defeated Randy Orton and Batista in the Triple Threat Main Event of Wrestlemania to become WWE/World Heavyweight Champion. This moment was made even more special, because of how Bryan was excluded from the Royal Rumble. The WWE eventually gave in to the momentum of Bryan because of the demands of the fans.

Return of the Year: Ultimate Warrior's Return

This was something we as fans had all been waiting to see for 18 long years. When the Ultimate Warrior returned to WWE with his commercial for WWE 2k14, it was the moment where the seeds were planted for him to make his long awaited return. After years of bad blood against each other, Warrior and WWE finally made peace. WWE had made the pitch to him before in 2010 for him to return for WM 26 in Arizona (his hometown). However, Warrior refused, because of his displeasure for their Self-Destruction DVD. By the end of 2013, WWE promised Warrior that they would rewrite his story and tell it right. Warrior finally agreed. The events of Wrestlemania weekend were amazing. His Hall of Fame speech was tremendous as well as his journey to make peace with Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan and others. His last appearance on RAW was the perfect way to top off his momentous return. Even though he passed away the next day, Warrior made amends and WWE repaired the bridge that they burned.

 

Rookie of the Year: Rusev

There was no one better to win this award than Rusev. His momentum has been strong from his feud with America. Rusev's wave of heat was rewarded when he won the US Championship.

 

Heel of the Year/Most Improved: Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins did the unexpected as he turned his back on his comrades Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose. The night after an epic match where they were victorious over Evolution, the Shield were destroyed. Rollins took a major step in his career by joining the Authority. Rollins was very consistent in his run as a heel in 2014. After winning MITB, Seth scored a number of noteworthy victories over the likes of Dean Ambrose as well as John Cena. Rollins elevated his heel status on the final RAW of 2014, when he forced John Cena to bring back the Authority by threatening to break Edge's neck permanently. Thankfully it never happened, but the torch was passed that night. Rollins has garnered comparisons to Edge, so it was only fitting for Seth to make his mark at the expense of his legendary predecessor.

Babyface/Most Popular Wrestler: Daniel Bryan
It speaks for itself.

 

 

Who's Next? Award (Breakout Show of the Year): NXT

This award is appropriately named after legend Bill Goldberg. This goes to the show that has had the biggest breakthrough impact. NXT wins this award, because of the moves that they have made this year with the acquisitions of Kevin Owens, Hideo Itami, and Finn Balor. Triple H deserves plenty of credit for the time that he has invested to make this product. NXT has fired on all cylinders as the place to be for you to get your pro wrestling fix without the bells and whistles from RAW and Smackdown. The show delivers when it comes to the pure quality and in-ring substance that the wrestling purists crave. The pinnacle of NXT came at NXT REvolution. This was the Wrestlemania of the show. From start to finish, the show was incredible. The show ended in great fashion with Sami Zayn defeating Adrian Neville to win the NXT Championship. Kevin Owens would go on to attack Zayn to make his heel turn. This is only a sign of things to come.

 

Breakout Star of the Year: Dean Ambrose

Since the breakup of the Shield, Dean Ambrose has found a way to make his presence known. Ambrose has been involved with the biggest feuds of this year. From the Shield vs The Wyatt Family, Shield vs Evolution to his feuds with Seth Rollins and Bray Wyatt. Ambrose has been a great improviser with his incredible mic delivery. He main evented HIAC with Rollins and TLC with Bray. No matter what, Ambrose knows when to deliver no matter who he is with.

 

Interview of the Year: CM Punk on Colt Cabana's "Art of Wrestling" Podcast

There is no debate about this award. This was the biggest bombshell of the year away from the ring. After 10 months, CM Punk shattered the Internet with this ground shaking interview on his best friend's podcast. Punk aired his grievances and exposed the inconsistencies of WWE for the world to hear.

Feud of the Year: Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins
This was the premiere rivalry of the year and will be in the future. The seeds were planted when Seth Rollins betrayed The Shield causing the breakup. Immediately, Ambrose was on his path. Dean would hinder Seth's cash-ins every chance that he got. They had a trilogy of matches that were showstoppers (BattleGround, Summerslam, Night of Champions, Hell In A Cell). The natural chemistry between them made this feud even more intense and amazing.

 

Match of the Year: The Shield vs Evolution (Payback)
This match stole the show and the year in general. The match cemented The Shield as not only the best faction of their era, but one of the best factions ever. The match was phenomenal from start to finish, as both factions fired all of their guns at each other. This cemented an incredible run of dominance by The Shield. The match was Falls Count Anywhere, as they literally went everywhere in this battle. The action was simply electrifying (if I may use The Rock's line). Evolution showed that they could still go at a high level together, with their natural brutality with how they whipped Roman Reigns. The Shield rallied back as Ambrose and Rollins showed what kind of madmen they can truly be. All three members were dynamic as they swept Evolution by eliminating all three members. This was the ultimate pinnacle of The Shield's success as they took down three future Hall of Famers. Trips, RKO, and Batista have a combined 31 world championships between them. This was also the last night that both teams were together. Talk about ending with a bang.

 

PPV of the Year: Wrestlemania 30

The 30th Anniversary of the Greatest Event in Wrestling History. The Celebration of an Empire that has stood the test of time. When you look at marquee value, match quality, characters involved, and historical significance, nothing surpasses the pomp and circumstance of Wrestlemania. This show was a great way to commemorate such tremendous history. The show kicked off to a great start. Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, and The Rock all in one ring. That was the segment of the year. The three megastars that built Wrestlemania into what it is today. The stare down with Austin and the Hulkster was epic, as all three men celebrated. In the opening match, Daniel Bryan defeated Triple H to earn a spot in the Triple Threat Main Event. John Cena would defeat Bray Wyatt. Brock Lesnar would silence the wrestling world by Breaking Undertaker's Streak. In the main event, Daniel Bryan captured the WWE/WHC in a thrilling match. The night ended on a very high note.

 

Wrestler of the Year: Seth Rollins
When you come down to it, this is the most deserving choice. When you look at the variables, no one has been more consistent than Seth Rollins from bell to bell. Rollins has been the consummate workhorse and ring general. He has been the most successful heel as Mr. MITB. Seth was also part of the MOTY (Match of The Year: Shield vs Evolution), along with candidates such as Shield vs Wyatts and his match vs Dean Ambrose at Summerslam. He was in the Main Event of HIAC with his chief rival. Rollins emerged victorious in each match with Ambrose. He has also scored a huge victory over John Cena. No one expected Seth to be this great when The Shield disbanded. Greater things await him and his fellow comrades.

 

 

I hope that you enjoyed this presentation. I look forward to doing more of these in the future. 

 

The Pain Has Returned: Brock's Historic win

Please allow me to take a quick break from my Top 50 Countdown to address a significant event that happened at Summerslam that has shaped the course of wrestling history from this point forward.

This year has had a trend of dominating performances. The Seattle Seahawks obliterated the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. The San Antonio Spurs assassinated the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals 4-1. Germany manhandled Brazil in the World Cup. WWE has followed that trend as well as of late, as Brock Lesnar has had a monumental year. First, he conquered the Undertaker's Undefeated Streak at WrestleMania XXX with not one, not two, but THREE F-5's! As Lionel Richie said: "Once, twice, three times a lady." To add the icing on the delicious cake, Lesnar captured his fourth WWE Championship by dismantling John Cena with 16 German Suplexes and 2 F-5's at the Biggest Party of the Summer, Summerslam live in Hollywood. (Side Note: 16 is Special, because it also represents the record for World Titles, still held at the moment by Nature Boy Ric Flair).

With all of that being said, Brock's win was impressive by not only who he beat, but how he beat him. For the last decade, Cena has been the franchise star of the WWE. The way that Brock won sent a clear message that this is finally the time of transition. We saw pieces of that at WrestleMania, but the ultimate stamp was made when Brock vanquished the company's Centerpiece. No champion in history had ever been dominated that badly. Hogan and Austin NEVER got pummeled the way that Cena did. Even The Rock was never beaten this badly when he lost to the same man 12 years earlier, Brock Lesnar himself.

Speaking of that, Brock's win at Summerslam has Unified both Titles, meaning there will only be one Undisputed WWE Championship. WWE has officially retired the World Heavyweight Championship (The Big Gold Belt). At Summerslam 2002, Brock Lesnar defeated The Rock to become the last Undisputed WWE Champion at that time. After Brock won, he was sent to Smackdown to become their exclusive WWE Champion. This is how the WHC was reborn. Fast forward to 2014, Brock defeats John Cena at Summerslam to become the "Undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Champion". Both of those historic victories took place at Summerslam. As you have now noticed, everything has come back full circle, with Brock being the most common denominator.

Of course, as soon as Brock was booked to face Cena at Summerslam, the floodgates would open for division. On one side, you have the Brock supporters (like myself and others) who want to see him win to not only validate breaking the streak, but because John Cena has worn thin. On the other side, you have Brock's detractors/haters (The IWC) who cry and complain because he is a part timer who doesn't deserve it. However, these are the SAME people who complained about Cena having the belt too many times. Now that Cena has been dethroned, people STILL complain. Sadly, there are people who have made it as their life's mission to find anything to complain about, especially when it comes to the WWE.



Now, let me set the record straight: Brock Lesnar is an ATTRACTION who DRAWS MONEY!! If you don't have someone who has marquee value to draw fans, your promotion will bleed money. Brock's credibility has made him a spectacle that will bring people from outside of the WWE to watch the product. Lesnar attracts a multitude of fans, including UFC. He brings mainstream credibility to a promotion that has been lacking it for years. When you scan the roster, it is depleted of guys who can cause people outside of wrestling to watch. CM Punk had a brat attack and went home. Daniel Bryan is injured, and not even he can fully break out of the wrestling circle. Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Bray Wyatt are not ready. They still have a very long way to go. Dolph Ziggler doesn't connect at all. He has been a paper champion because of injuries. Miz is a glorified Reality TV star who STILL can't draw a dime. I could go on and on, and you see just what I mean. Wrestling has been diluted to being a niche product, but the key for its success has always been centered around "Sports Entertainment". Sports Entertainment goes beyond just the ring, and transcends to the mainstream media. Look at names like Austin, Hogan, Rock, Savage, even Undertaker to name a few. They have mainstream name value that attracts outside viewers which brings even more money. Brock is that kind of guy. The reason why they rely on part timers like Lesnar, Rock, Y2J, etc is BECAUSE they bring attention. The only names on the full time roster who have a level of recognition outside of WWE are John Cena and Randy Orton, but they have been overexposed.

Brock Lesnar brings a breath of fresh air to a program that has become so rotten that the stench is nauseating. With Lesnar as champion, he creates an intrigue and more of a pursuit for the title, which gives exposure to everyone else. Now, the title will regain a level of prestige that has been lost for a very long time. The title chase will be much more intense compared to previously, where Cena (with Orton in between) monopolized the title picture. When Brock is gone, you will have Paul Heyman filling in the gaps with his brilliant antagonizing promos, building up his client's dominance while trolling the fans. This is classic heel champion storyline writing. Brock would be the kind of champion who defends at the more important events (Night of Champions, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, WrestleMania). Therefore, when the time comes for Brock to be dethroned at WrestleMania, it will mean much more because they have defeated the Beast that Conquered the Greatest Streak in Wrestling History. With the way the pieces are being set, Roman Reigns is being geared toward that win. Brock would be the perfect monster to defeat for validation.

Ladies and Gentleman, Brock Lesnar is BEST FOR BUSINESS!!