Thanks to Chuck Carroll for sending us the following:
I wanted to pass along an interview that I did with Paul Heyman for CBS where he and I discussed Brock Lesnar’s marketability and value to WWE now that he’s retired from UFC. Heyman largely said that walking away from MMA has no bearing on Lesnar’s worth in wrestling.
Heyman also said that the “Boombox Brock” was just “Brock being Brock” and that he should be called “Beast Box,” instead. When I told him that the idea sounded like it should be on a t-shirt he said that they were way ahead of me.
Here’s a link to the full article where I also asked him about how much longer Lesnar is expecting to wrestle, and when the decision was made for him to return at Money In The Bank.
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/05/27/paul-heyman-interview-brock-lesnar-future-wwe/
What does Brock mean to WWE in terms of marketability? How important of a figure is he at a time when billion-dollar TV deal are being negotiated?
Billion-dollar TV deals are based on the authenticity and credibility of a brand. Brock Lesnar is the only being in history to hold the NCAA Division I Championship, the UFC Heavyweight Championship, and the top titles, whether it’s the WWE Title or Universal Title, in WWE. When you take a look at that, there’s a reason for it: Brock Lesnar is a once-ever athlete. If Daniel Cormier could be WWE Champion, I assure you he would be. But he can’t pull them both off. If John Cena could have been UFC Champion, I assure you he would have been. Be he couldn’t pull both off.
Brock Lesnar can walk seamlessly between those two universes, dominate each of them at the same time if he chooses. And there is no one else on the face of the planet that can make that claim, with the possible exception of Ronda Rousey if she were so inclined.
Dana White recently revealed that Brock has retired from UFC. What does that do in terms of his appeal and marketability moving forward? Does it even have an impact on his future in WWE?
I think the public is willing to pay to see Brock Lesnar, as long as Brock Lesnar is presented in a manner that entices the audience to be emotionally invested in the story being told. That’s whether it’s in WWE or UFC. So, Brock Lesnar’s retirement in UFC only makes him more available for WWE if the circumstances are right. In terms of Brock’s marketability to the general public, I think the general public has always been aware of what a unique athlete Brock Lesnar is and how rare it is to have the opportunity to see Brock Lesnar in action.
