Brock Lesnar has been away for over a year now, but his retirement was never proclaimed. It feels like only a matter of time til he returns to WWE, but would anyone be ready to face him if/when he does? Without repeating matches he already had (except one because it was so long ago), there are a few options which could be considered if they built up to the moment.
Rematches
The most obvious would be Drew McIntyre, the man who took his WWE Championship. Avenging his loss would likely be the first thing on his agenda, as he sat at home for over a year with it weighing heavily on his mind.
Another interesting rematch would be against Roman Reigns, mostly because Paul Heyman began managing him not long after Lesnar left. Would he be the babyface? Or would Heyman screw Reigns and turn him? Something tells me WWE won’t go for it, given that Reigns already defeated him at WrestleMania. There wouldn’t be much benefit for the “Head Of The Table” to get another win over Brock, but if done right, the Heyman factor could make for an interesting story.
There aren’t any other rematches I’d like to see. Braun Strowman. Randy Orton. Daniel Bryan. AJ Styles. None of these work unless Lesnar loses, but that would defeat the purpose of bringing him back.
Honourable Mentions
New matches I considered but did not include in the top five include:
Riddle – He has called out Brock Lesnar & Goldberg so many times it reeks, but Vince is high on him right now. So it could work, but he’d have to move on from the goofy scooter skits and get on a serious winning streak.
Aleister Black – A serious wrestler with a devastating finisher would be a dream match for Lesnar and the fans, but he has been on the sidelines for too long. There’s no telling if WWE would ever have the faith to put him in such a huge match. He has a long way to go to be worthy of challenging Lesnar.
Walter – As the longest reigning title holder in WWE today (750+ days), the NXT UK Champion is worthy of challenging Lesnar… but there’s a roadblock. The main issue is that so many fans don’t know how great he is because they don’t watch NXT or NXT UK. If you’re like me, and you’ve seen his matches with Tyler Bate, Pete Dunne, Ilja Dragunov, Tommaso Ciampa and all the rest, it’s a straightforward decision.
It would be an absolute classic! But so many don’t know who he is… so it wouldn’t work. Also, they are too similar in the way they carry themselves. It would be almost like Lesnar facing himself. Walter excels in longer matches, while Lesnar prefers shorter ones. It would be super interesting, but making it work is near impossible. They are two dominant heels who destroy opponents in their own way. Lesnar would never take that amount of punishment, especially in the twilight of his career.
#5. Karrion Kross
TICK TOCK! Goes the clock. The NXT Champion is being molded in to the next great WWE Superstar with an aura of danger and impending doom. He’s probably too good to be on NXT as a character, but his ring work remains questionable. Kross needs more time to ensure he has no weak points before moving on.
However, up against Brock Lesnar, you don’t need to be a 5-star match machine. All you need is the psychology and the respect of Lesnar. Take the offense like a champ and he will sell for you. If WWE wants a new breakout star, Lesnar passing the torch on to Kross would be a healthy way to go. Sounds like a match that would be great at next year’s WrestleMania.
#4. Cesaro
Getting a win over Seth Rollins is a big deal. Remember that Rollins has defeated Lesnar more than once. If WWE are finally putting their chips on Cesaro, then the endgame should be him facing Brock Lesnar one-on-one. He’s exceptional in singles contests, and Brock’s faced no one like him before.
Can you imagine Cesaro going for The Swing on him, though? No, I can’t either. This move would have to be phased out, because it’s kinda ridiculous in a proper fight. You’d want to put an end to Lesnar ASAP, not swing him around for entertainment value. Brock would love to fight him straight up, but there’s no chance in hell Cesaro is embarrassing him that way.
#3. Edge
If there is one match Edge would love to have, it’s against Brock Lesnar. They faced off at the 2002 Rebellion PPV, but Edge was still a mid-carder and Lesnar was new to the game. Before Edge could reach main event status, Brock left in 2004 and didn’t return to WWE til after Edge retired, so their paths haven’t crossed in 19 years. They are two of the most accomplished superstars in WWE history, so the story writes itself.
Yes, they are both getting on in age, but I’m sure many fans would love to see this. Edge has beaten some of the most popular names of all time, so it would make for an even contest. Add on the fact that they will do absolutely anything to win, making this a No Holds Barred fight would be the cherry on the cake. Give their last match a watch in the video below… it’s great!
#2. Keith Lee
WWE needs to establish new giants to drive the company forward, and no one has more upside than Keith Lee. No one is matching Brock athletically like he can. Braun Strowman isn’t the answer, WWE has tried their best, but it isn’t working. Lee is the guy they need to push, and we got a glimpse of what can happen at the 2020 Royal Rumble. But where is he right now?! Nobody knows.
When he returns, WWE needs to do their best not to turn him in to a joke. The only thing going against him is he’s so passionate that it’s tough to accept WWE’s way of doing things on the main roster. Before he disappeared, you could see him holding back compared to his NXT days. He was slower. More methodical. It’s like WWE told him to wrestle more like a giant, instead of a Cruiserweight. He was more direct, which is a shame really. The Keith Lee of NXT was an absolute beast because they let him do what comes natural.
Stick him in the ring with T-Bar (Dijakovic) for a few PPV matches and let them go full throttle. Guaranteed, that will get them both over. If it doesn’t, I vow to stop watching wrestling forever. If you have never seen Keith Lee vs. Dominick Dijakovic, then you haven’t lived.
#1. Bobby Lashley
Lashley has been after Brock Lesnar his entire career. He has been compared to Brock since he debuted, and it has followed him throughout. There’s no escaping it, Lashley has done his best in the wrestling and fighting world, but he has always been in Lesnar’s shadow. And now he is WWE Champion, there is no better time with the momentum he has.
WWE would do well with this feud, because it’s two of the best real fighters they have ever had coming to blows. The potential is there for a brutal contest, blending elements of wrestling and MMA under one roof. Some companies have tried it, but never have two mastodons like Lashley and Lesnar squared off on a grand stage. It’s not like they need a major storyline either. All they need is for Lashley to tell us his life story. Tell us how everywhere he goes, fans ask if he will ever face Lesnar. Would he ever beat Brock in a proper fight? That’s probably the question they have asked him the most.
Lashley is sick and tired of it! He wants to show the world he is better than Brock in both worlds. Lashley wants to prove he is the best, and the only way to do so is by putting down the man he has wanted for over fifteen years. It’s box office, but only if Lashley reaches a point that his name sells. He’s getting there, but is not there yet. The bottom line is… no one is ready for Brock yet, but they will be soon.
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