Bobby Lashley: Why The WWE Is Failing The Dominator

Bobby Lashley has made a big splash since returning to the WWE shortly after WrestleMania 34 back in April after a 10-year hiatus to venture into other challenges.

The WWE thought it had something big in Bobby Lashley back in the mid-2000’s when the company was totally in his corner, but despite taking part in a key match at WrestleMania 23 back in 2007, The Dominator never quite reached a main event level in his first run with the company.

Whether it was how green he still was in the pro wrestling business or anything else, Lashley never quite reached his fullest potential in that era.  He stepped away from the WWE in 2008 and tried his luck in the MMA and TNA Wrestling among other things, but he still had unfinished business in the WWE.

Rumors were calling for Lashley’s return to the WWE and the night after WrestleMania 34, Lashley made his return on Raw.  Since that time, he has seen some ups and downs creatively and no matter how bad that Sami Zayn feud was, he was able to respond with a stellar feud against Roman Reigns.

The two battled it out for supremacy on Monday nights and had a key pay-per-view showdown at Extreme Rules.  They both wanted a piece of Brock Lesnar and the Universal Championship, but after Extreme Rules, it seemed like the only person that would get his hands on Lesnar would be The Dominator.

Lashley did something that very few superstars have done in recent memory, pin Reigns clean in the middle of the ring with no screwy finish.  It was a huge win for Lashley and it was viewed at by most fans as the defining win of his career that would help propel him into the main event scene on Monday nights with a shot at Lesnar looming.

However, the WWE had other ideas.  It was announced the following night on Raw that there would be two Triple Threat Matches take place with the winners of those matches going on to face each other in a number one contender’s match to battle Lesnar for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam.  And wouldn’t you know, it came down to Lashley and Reigns.

The Dominator and The Big Dog had a great match the following week, but the result still has fans talking.  Many believed a non-traditional finish was in the works to eventually lead to a Triple Threat Match at SummerSlam between Lesnar, Lashley, and Reigns with the Universal Championship on the line.

But that wouldn’t pan out and instead of that Triple Threat Match idea, Reigns pinned Lashley clean to get the win and advance to SummerSlam.  The match itself was one of the better TV matches of the year without a doubt, but when you really think about it, it just doesn’t add up and it feels like Lashley got the short end of the stick.

The problem wasn’t adding Reigns into the match at SummerSlam, but the problem was excluding Lashley form the match.  He had just beaten Reigns clean on pay-per-view in a high-profiled match and conventional WWE wisdom suggests that would earn him a chance at a world title shot.  But conventional wisdom got thrown out the door to benefit The Big Dog instead.

This will be the third time Lesnar and Reigns have faced off in one-on-one action in 2018 with the other two matches not impressing the majority of fans.  What makes Vince McMahon think this match will turn out any different?  Fans don’t want to see it again, it’s just that simple.  It could turn out positively, but there is major doubt regarding that.

Lesnar vs. Lashley would have felt fresher, different, and would be viewed by most as a match people would want to see.  Both men have similar styles and backgrounds that could have fed off of each other.  But instead of getting a fresh match, we get to see a recycled feud and match main event what most consider the second biggest pay-per-view of the year in the WWE.

And instead of being in a key spot at SummerSlam, Lashley is now singing with Elias in comedy based segments.  Nothing against Elias, but seeing Lashley in a potential feud with him just isn’t good enough.  Not after beating the company-appointed top guy on a pay-per-view stage.  The WWE basically is saying his win over Reigns at Extreme Rules was meaningless.

That couldn’t be a bigger injustice if it tried.  Maybe WWE will give Lashley the opportunity he deserves, but for right now, the company has completely mistreated him creatively and has failed to take advantage of the momentum he earned.

The Dominator vs. The Beast Incarnate would have been a big selling point of SummerSlam, but because of the WWE’s love affair with Reigns, that match is off the table and Lashley is feeling the brunt of it creatively.