Brock Lesnar: Redefining WWE Superstar, For Better or Worse

Since returning to WWE in 2012, Brock Lesnar has changed the face of the company. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes not. But has Lesnar earned a spot among the truly elite?

WWE tries to claim Roman Reigns is the most polarizing figure in all of WWE. It’s their way of trying to justify negative fan response to someone who’s supposed to be “The Guy™.” But perhaps the actual most polarizing figure is Brock Lesnar, who has literally revolutionized the WWE — and not always for the better.

Everyone likely knows the story by now: Lesnar wrestled in WWE for about two years in the early 2000s, and bailed to dip his toes in a variety of other athletic pursuits. In 2012, he made his “triumphant” return to WWE, attacking John Cena in one of the worst kept secrets in wrestling.

And for the past several years, Brock Lesnar has been a specter hanging over the company. He shows up for a few promo segments where he stands around and lets Paul Heyman say something stupid for him. Then he wrestles a match at a major pay per view. And once the match is done, Lesnar retreats to his cabin in the woods, not to be seen again for weeks on end — sometimes months.

When Lesnar is a part of the programming, it’s tough to argue he isn’t one of the best in the world. The problem many fans have with him is his attendance, which to be fair isn’t really his fault. Lesnar was smart enough to negotiate one of the sweetest deals in pro wrestling, and WWE was foolish enough to give him what he wanted.

But the real issue is Lesnar being Universal Champion. At WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Brock defeated Goldberg to become the fourth Universal Champion in history. Since that moment, Lesnar has had eight televised matches (all on pay per view), seven of them title defenses. As the top champion on Raw, Lesnar hasn’t wrestled on the show since 2003.

While the concept of a “special attraction” superstar or champion may be an old one, in 2018 it’s run its course. But more and more WWE talent are jumping on board with the “part timer” deals. The Rock has made sporadic appearances since 2011, but rather than one-offs several were strung together as part of a part-time deal. The Undertaker wrestles pretty much at WrestleMania only, though he’s been popping up more and more.

Triple H spends his day to day life as a company executive, but he’ll don the tights occasionally. Even former face of the WWE John Cena has gotten on board the part-time express. Cena takes extended breaks with much more frequency than he used to. The Lesnar deal had to have been an influence on these superstars.

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Has Brock Lesnar become a big enough “special attraction” that he’s one of the most game-changing WWE superstars of all time? I’d have to say yes. I don’t know if I’m ready to put him on a Mount Rushmore of wrestling, though. But even going back to his initial WWE run, Lesnar has been built up as one of the most important people to ever set foot in a WWE ring.

The cross promotion with UFC (which I don’t care what anyone else may call it, that’s what it is) works because Lesnar always seems up for a fight. Not a wrestling match — a legit fight. Look at what he did to Randy Orton at SummerSlam in 2016. How many other superstars could pull off a career as a fighter? Bobby Lashley tried it — and now he’s one step away from challenging Lesnar for the Universal Championship.

I wouldn’t be surprised if, despite the backlash Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship reign has received, more world champions in WWE get the “special attraction” status. Perhaps not for as long a title reign as Lesnar has had, but the idea of a champ having that air of immortality may be a good thing.

On the same token, even as a special attraction the champion should 100 percent show up on the show they’re a champion on. It’s a tough balance to maintain, but the right superstars would be able to pull it off.

Next: WWE SummerSlam 2018: Reigns Dethroning Lesnar Best Option

Brock Lesnar’s fingerprints are all over this new model of how certain superstars can and should be booked in WWE. For better or worse, love him or hate him, you can’t deny the Beast’s influence. Now let’s get the Universal Championship onto someone else pronto, okay?