The ESSENTIALS: Brock Lesnar

Welcome to this very special edition of the ESSENTIALS.  Last week, Brock Lesnar made his triumphant return to the WWE.  It sent a shockwave through the wrestling world that can still be felt to this day by anyone who witnessed it.  It was such an important moment for the WWE as a whole, that I felt the need to celebrate.  In what may go down as one of the most unique ESSENTIALS of all time, I will highlight the five greatest matches from Brock's first run, while spotlighting a current superstar he could find similar magic with.


Enough talk, Brock wouldn't want it that way....LET'S GET ON WITH IT!


Ladies and Marks, I give you....



THE ESSENTIAL BROCK LESNAR





Honorable Mention: Brock Lesnar vs. Hulk Hogan (Smackdown 2002)

Lesnar has a knack for desroying the biggest of stars

 

Why this match was significant: On a 2002 episode on Smackdown, Lesnar destroyed the immortal Hulk Hogan.  When this match was initially booked, Lesnar was a fairly new competitor and few gave him any chance at beating an icon the caliber of Hogan at the time.  Having Brock come in and decimate one of the WWE's biggest draws, immediately made everyone take notice that he was going to be "the guy". 


How they can do it again: Brock Lesnar made an even bigger impact in his return to the WWE last week.  His inevitable match with John Cena can once again establish him as the company's most dominant force.  Keep in mind that while most of us remember how good Brock was, there is a whole new generation of fans that only know him as that "guy from UFC".  I know most people are shrugging their shoulders at the idea of a Cena/Lesnar match, but I see the vast potential for greatness it has.  Cena is a MUCH better performer than he was during their feud in 2003 and I think the two would really match up well with how much they've both evolved.








Number 5: Brock Lesnar vs. Eddie Guerrero (No Way Out 2004)

A big win over Lesnar can do wonders for a hungry superstar's career

Why this match was significant: In early 2004, Lesnar was on his way out of the company, but he was still arguably the WWE's biggest star.  Eddie Guerrero was a long celebrated, but heavily underrated wrestler who was long overdue for a run at the top.  Eddie was more over than any other babyface at the time due to his brilliant "lie, cheat and steal" gimmick and unmatched charisma and performance ability.  Still, cynics knocked Guerrero for never truly capitalizing on his potential.  Enter Brock Lesnar.  At No Way Out 2004, I watched live as Eddie did the impossible that night, defeating Lesnar to win his first WWE Championship.  The match did wonders for Guerrero's career and even more for the title itself.  For Lesnar, the match showed that he has just as much effectiveness as a star creator as he does a legend destroyer.


How they can do it again: Two words, Dolph Ziggler.  Ziggler is this generation's Guerrero.  He is a beloved and underrated performer with more potential than any other young star in the company.  He has a classic match streak a mile long and often draws comparisons to legends like Shawn Michaels, Curt Henning and Ric Flair.  While it may be hard to imagine Ziggler beating Lesnar, the same could have been said about Guerrero back in the day.  With the right storyline and a masterful performance from Dolph, a win over Brock will change his career path overnight.








Number 4: Brock Lesnar vs. The Big Show (Judgement Day 2003)

Brock brings the best out of bigger opponents

Why this match was significant: The Big Show has yet to have a match that comes even close to the work he's done with Brock.  There was just something about Lesnar that enabled him to bring the best out of larger athletes that had long been dismissed as bad workers.  I don't even think most people even appreciated how good Show could be until his infamous stretcher match with Brock in 2003.  In my opinion, it's one of, if not the greatest stretcher match of all time.  Lesnar's creativity and freakish strength would allow him to have some very athletic matches with just about any 300 pounder you could find.  This would become an asset that would make Brock extremely unique, and one that the WWE could capitalize on more now then ever, given the amount of mammoths they have on their current roster.


How they can do it again: In 2011, Mark Henry was the most dominant force the WWE had seen since....well...since Brock Lesnar.  In the first two months of 2012, Henry has struggled to maintain his aura after losing the World title to Daniel Bryan.  Recently, he has bounced back with some dominant performances (including his impressive match with WWE Champion CM Punk this past Monday).  A big time feud with Brock Lesnar could help Henry earn back a large portion of the respect he's lost while giving him the momentum necessary to once again blaze a trail back to the World Heavyweight Championship scene.  A Stretcher match at Over The Limit, would be a good start.








Number 3: Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker (No Mercy 2002)

Performance wise, Lesnar is at his best when up against a capable brawler

Why this match is significant: In what was not only one of the best Hell In A Cell matches, Brock and Undertaker clashed in a match that would become the Phenom's trademark, but it was Lesnar who looked like a star.  Going toe to toe with the toughest superstar in WWE history and living to tell the tale would have been impressive, but that would have not been enough for Brock.  To me, Brock's best quality has always been his desire.  He thrives off of stiff, hard fought competition (thus his jump to MMA) and matches like this one have become a lost art in the PG-oriented WWE of today.


How they can do it again: While many are clamoring for a rematch between these two megastars, I find Sheamus to be the most intriguing option.  The Great White is currently the WWE's most capable brawler, but is still fairly untested in physical matches.  Sure he's had some tough matches against Triple H and John Cena, but he has not faced anyone like Lesnar.  Throw these two animals in a cell, cut the chains off and let them loose and greatness will happen.  I guarantee it.








Number 2: Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock (SummerSlam 2002)

The leader of a NEW school of attitude

Why this match is significant: While he has had better performances, this was easily the biggest match of Brock's career.  The Rock had just beaten Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania, was WWE Champion, and had a blossoming movie career on the side.  In short, he had nothing left to prove.  Brock Lesnar was dubbed "The Next Big Thing", had also just come off of a big win over Hogan, and was looking to fill in the void The Great One was inevitably going to leave.  With Rock's looming departure, the match would symbolize the end of the WWE's greatest era and the birth of a new one.  Brock was in many ways, a combination of every great Attitude Era legend with a new school flair.  It wasn't just a big match, it was a necessary one for the company's survival. Ironically, Lesnar would leave a couple years later, but this match was still a massive success and one that made Lesnar the WWE's biggest attraction.


How they can do it again: With Wrestlemania XXVIII in the books, we have witnessed the end of an era.  Triple H and The Undertaker tore the house down in a match that will go down as one of the event's best.  But if you ask me, I think there is one more match left in Triple H and selfishly, it's been a dream match of mine since Lesnar first left.  Brock and The Game have never had a proper one on one match at a big Pay Per View and I feel as if they are long overdue.  I hear SummerSlam calling their names.  Give Triple H the microphone, and he will sell it as if every dollar went straight into his pocket (in a way, they probably would).  A Last Man Standing match would be ideal, but in all honesty, with these two names on the marquee, it'd be a must see event nonetheless.  After defeating The Game, Lesnar would have beaten every major Attitude Era star....well except for one beer drinking redneck...but I think we all know how that one worked out. 








Number 1: Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle (Smackdown 2003)

Lesnar is a wrestler's wrestler

Why this match is significant: Brock's matches against Kurt Angle are all the stuff of legend.  Perhaps most notably in his match of the year candidate against Kurt Angle in 2003.  To this day, it's still the only Ironman match I can watch from beginning to end without yawning at some point.  That's not a knock at other Iron Man matches, but more of a credit to the magic Lesnar and Angle created whenever they were in the ring together.  Brock loves competition and he thrives off of knowing he is the best in the world.  You can only do that by competing against the best at the top of their game and every time these two touched, they brought a very real sense of athleticism and sport to a very entertainment heavy WWE.


How they can do it again: Admit it, the minute you just read the words Best In The World, you thought of only one man....CM Punk.  I personally feel as if the WWE could recreate the Lesnar/Angle atmosphere by putting these two together.  Submission matches, 2 out of 3 Falls and Ironman matches would all prove to be some of the best matches we've seen in a long time.  The best way to build this up is to have Punk finish off his feud with Chris Jericho in the next two PPVs, then re enter a rivalry with Daniel Bryan (providing Bryan switches shows in the WWE draft, which I think would be a brilliant idea), resulting in a few more Match of the Year candidates.  Coming off a great series of matches against two great in-ring competitors, Punk will be primed and ready to go head to head with Lesnar.  Book these two in a match at Night of Champions for the WWE Championship, and they will steal the show. Book them in an MMA-inspired match, and they will have one of the greatest matches of all time.




And there you have it, the ESSENTIAL Brock Lesnar.  I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting some of his best work and I hope you enjoyed reading as well.



Let me know your thoughts..



Until next time,



Mark Out!



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