WWE missed several opportunities with Bobby Lashley

There was a lot of WWE roster talk over the weekend, specifically about a former champion. Fightful Select reported that Bobby Lashley’s WWE contract is up “within the next month or so, possibly over the course of weeks.” That was huge news as Lashley is a beloved figure across professional wrestling. This sparked some discourse about whether WWE “fumbled” Lashley and that’s a conversation that is much more complicated than those that can be handled in 280 characters.

It was easy for both sides of the debate to pull out evidence for their cause. One on hand, Lashley is a multiple-time champion who experienced protected booking, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and immediately afterward. But the other side has a strong point when it comes to how Vince McMahon managed the Hurt Business, throwing the highly popular faction away when they were at their height and fans wanted to see more. The more the topic is broached the easier it is to see that Lashley had a strong run at times, but there was certainly a lot of opportunity left on the table.

Taking Lashley’s second WWE stint into account, he experienced a lot of success since 2018. During that run, he was a two-time Intercontinental Champion, a two-time United States Champion, and a two-time WWE Champion. He’d hold titles for a combined 553 days. He’d pick up wins over the likes of Drew McIntyre, Karrion Kross, Brock Lesnar, Kevin Owens, Rey Mysterio, and others. Those facts are indisputable.

But where the debate comes in is what was missed within Lashley’s booking. When it comes to sports entertainment, few men look more the part than Bobby Lashley. That was especially recognized during his run as champion with MVP, leading into the formation of The Hurt Business and after. Lashley talked the talk and walked the walk – displaying a level of character that wasn’t seen in WWE but was well-known by those who followed him in TNA and IMPACT Wrestling. It was a fresh look at Lashley that positioned him as a champion both in the ring each week and one that should have been utilized for mainstream opportunities outside of wrestling. Bobby Lashley should have had a longer and more impactful reign as champion and leader of The Hurt Business, but alas that was not the case.

Look at how Lashley was booked against the biggest name of the organization. He never got a true, clean win back over Brock Lesnar. He was used to put over Bill Goldberg. The Hurt Business versus The Bloodline was a feud that fans wanted to see, but never witnessed. Lashley was still seen as just a step below those top names, and that hindered his entire time within the WWE, both during this run and his previous tenure. Compared to these other men, there is nothing that Lashley could not do just as well as them, yet the opportunity to prove that point wasn’t ever provided. It’s almost like the glass ceiling continued to get pushed higher and higher.

Who is at fault for that situation? Some fans will point at McMahon, while others will point at Triple H who currently runs creative. Either way, there’s an understandable discourse about Bobby Lashley’s run within WWE and the outcome of his time there. The Fightful Select report states that he intends to continue performing, and here’s to hoping that if his time with WWE is up, fans finally get to see the star that he is on a major platform soon.