Finally in the UK - WWE 12 is released today and the big surprise inclusion is the ability to play as former WWE Champion, the Next Big Thing, Brock Lesnar. Brock is one of my favourite WWE performers of all time. Coming in as a power house with a push as big as Goldberg in WCW, this was a guy who was able to actually perform in the ring and yet he was still an athletic rookie before evolving into one of historys best technical match-having monster and headlining Wrestlemania within a year of being in the company. Yes, Kurt Angle and The Undertaker would win their first title within a year of debuting but neither of them would headline Wrestlemania (the true sign that you are on top... especially back then) for years after their debuts. And what amazes me the most is that Brock Lesnar was only in WWE from 2002-2004. He achieved all that he did in just TWO years. Considering how long some of the current rookies have been around, thats an amazing feat. Heres a look back at the short but sensational WWE Career that Brock Lesnar had with the hope one day he will come back for another run. P.S. - These are in order of occurrence not in order of quality...
10. Brock Lesnar vs. Hulk Hogan - SmackDown 2002
Building Brock Before Brock went up against the Rock at Summerslam 2002, there was some last minute building to do for the challenger. And who better to have him beat than the most famous wrestler of all time, Hulk Hogan? Rumour has it Stone Cold refused to put over Brock sometime in 2002, though Austin was bitter anyway because of his Scott Hall program at Wrestlemania 18 when The Rock got the match against Hogan, but in any event Austin took his bag and went home leaving the Brock match for someone else. This destruction of Hulk Hogan by Brock was a huge chapter in building him toward the Rock. Smackdown in 2002 was the wrestling show compared to Raw's soap opera and stars and had classic match after classic match, week after week. The crowd for this one was on fire. Brock put his match with the Rock on the line. Hogan to his credit, put Brock over big time and accepted a loss via submission when he could not continue in a bear hug. After the match, Brock beat Hogan bloody and put him on the shelf until 2003. That's how a legend goes out... putting over a new star.
9. Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock vs. Triple H - Global Warming 2002
Little seen match down-under... In the Summer of 2002, WWE toured Australia and had Brock Lesnar in its main event. This marked the first and only time that Brock Lesnar shared a ring with Triple H, and also featured The Rock under triple threat rules. A really entertaining main event, which as far as I know has only ever been released as part of the Global Warming DVD when it came out. But of course that doesnt mean its not readily available online. The weird thing about it is that the audio is very heavily edited in post production. But that shouldnt detract from a decent match that for the most part has never really been mentioned again in the WWE. http://youtu.be/0-XL0gzG-hk
8. Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock - SummerSlam 2002
Brock vs. Rock... Summerslam 2002 is one of the greatest WWE super cards of all time. Having already seen great matches like Mysterio vs. Angle, Edge vs. Eddie, Benoit vs. RVD and Shawn Michaels returning to the ring against Triple H, the crowd were electric for Brock vs. Rock main event. Unfortunately for the Rock, this electricity came in the form of LOUD Rocky Sucks chants from a large part of the audience. It was almost as if they could sense the changing of the guard. Most knew The Rock was only back to put Brock over and leave again for Hollywood. And in a reaction almost akin to the one Brock got on his last night, some fans took exception to Rock leaving. The finish was a back and forth reversal of each others moves. Brock finally connected with the F5 and became the Youngest Champion of all time, beating a record previously held by The Rock himself. http://youtu.be/o4y4dD8_vbI
7. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker - Hell in a Cell - No Mercy 2002
Big Evil... After Rock, the new champion needed a new challenger. The Undertaker was next in Brocks firing line. They first had a match at Unforgiven which had a cheap Double DQ Finish. But the match that followed remains one of my favourite Brock Lesnar matches, one of my favourite Undertaker matches and one of my favourite Hell in a Cell matches. I was already sold on Brock Lesnar, but this match in the Cell against the Undertaker was when I knew he was something extra special. Its also one of the most intense and graphic Cells in history with Brock, Taker and even Heyman ending up busted open. The story throughout the match was that Brock had busted Undertakers arm with a gas canister, but Undertaker was using his cast as a weapon. You know, because casts are like Friggin steel chairs. Despite the Dead Mans advantage, Brock reversed an attempted Tombstone into an F5 for the win. Video of the match is bloody, if youre used to PG WWE, you might not want to watch.
6. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle - Wrestlemania 19
Headlines the biggest show of the year... A month after beating Undertaker at No Mercy, Brock was scheduled to face the Big Show at Survivor Series. Heyman constantly tried to get him to back out of the match since he was sure Brock couldnt beat Big Show, but of course the undefeated Lesnar wasnt backing down. At the big show, Heyman turned on Lesnar and helped Big Show win, causing Brock to suffer his first loss on WWE TV. After this, Brock was denied a rematch and ended up getting suspended after putting Matt Hardy through a wall and attacking Big Show with a chair. Kurt Angle approached Lesnar and said he would get the suspension lifted if Brock helped him beat Big Show. The seeds were planted for Wrestlemania when Brock helped Kurt win, Angle turned on Brock and revealed it to be a plan all along. WWE chose to build the rest of the story the old fashioned way. Brock entered the 2003 Royal Rumble as number 29 and last eliminated the Undertaker to earn his title match against Kurt Angle. Probably the most famous scene from the main event of Wrestlemania 19 is Brock missing his Shooting Star Press and landing on his head. But if you can get past that, and the groggy ending to the match, the rest of it was also worth a look. Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan may have got the DVD cover , but the last image people saw was Brock stumbling about with his newly won World Title.
5. Brock Lesnar vs. Big Show - Stretcher Match - Judgment Day 2003
Two Giants Collide... Brock once again came face to face with the Big Slow at Judgment Day 2003. After Show had clumsily swung Rey Mysterio like a baseball bat into a ringpost, Brock Lesnar stepped in to defend the masked midget. To avenge Mysterio being taken out in a stretcher, Brock and Show squared off in what was billed as the first stretcher match in 17 years. For a Big Show match, this was a great one. Both used the stretcher as a weapon, and made good use of the set and surrounding ringside distractions. At the end of the match, Brock appeared to be just leaving after taking Big Show down. But we all know from the Austin days that the big face doesnt just leave. He comes back with something fun to play with. While Brock was gone, Mysterio made an appearance and gave Big Show a 619 and distracted him long enough for Lesnar to drive out to the ring in a forklift! After diving off it and effortlessly lifting Big Show with a suplex, Brock delivered a modified F5 rolled Show onto the forklift, raised him up and drove him over the line to win the match.
4. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle vs. Big Show - Vengeance 2003
NO DQ Triple Threat At Vengeance 2003, Brock was the defending champion in a NO DQ Triple Threat match that also featured Kurt Angle and Big Show. This was another one of those great Triple Threat matches much like the one the previous year between Rock, Angle and Undertaker. The Triple Threat rules allowed each of them to hit their finishers and other high spots, allowing the remaining member to interfere before the match could end. Angle took the Big Show through a table on the outside allowing he and Lesnar to go at it in the ring. Big Show eventually shook it off and got back in the ring and choke slammed BOTH men. Both managed to kick out. Kurt Angle dropped Big Show with an Angle Slam, then hit Lesnar with one to pick up the win and take Brocks title.
3. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle - Iron Man Match - SmackDown 2003
Wrestlemania re-match; This is the Iron Man match that all Iron Man matches should be judged on. And it went out for free on TV on an episode of Smackdown. At the time, a TINY bit frustrating because of the commercials, but being able to watch it now without them is a treat. Easily one of the greatest matches in the history of Smackdown, these two went at it tooth and nail and told an exceptional wrestling story. In an interesting twist, Brock let himself get disqualified by belting Angle with a chair, but took him out long enough to get a healthy lead going. With 7 minutes left, Brock was still up 5 to 3. Kurt psyched himself up enough to trap Brock in the Ankle Lock and make him tap with 4 minutes left to go. Kurt needed one more fall to level things up and force the match into overtime, but despite having a firm grip, Brock held on until the timer ran out to win the match by 5-4 and keep his title. http://youtu.be/1B_gHCLfXbA
2. Brock Lesnar vs. Eddie Guerrero - No Way Out 2004
Brock was the champion heading into his match with Eddie Guerrero at No Way Out 2004, just a month before Wrestlemania. Brock was already embroiled in a feud with Goldberg which started back at Survivor Series months earlier but no one was really sure if he was going to drop the title to Eddie. I remember specifically watching this match live, feeling like if ever Eddie had a chance at a World Title, this was the night. Goldberg was given a ringside ticket for the main event by Stone Cold Steve Austin and couldnt help but stick his bald noggin in Brocks business. Towards the end of the match, Goldberg got involved and this allowed Eddie to hit the Frog Splash and pin him to win his first ever World Title.
1. Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg - Wrestlemania 20
Lesnar exits... Not just one of the craziest fan reactions to a match in WWE history, but one of the most disappointing outcomes to a roughly 5 month long story. Included in a list of his greatest matches for the sheer fact that it was such a surreal sight to see for his final match. Brock and Goldberg were two of the most well known powerhouse wrestlers in the business and people were looking forward to them clashing. Unfortunately, before the match, both men decided to leave. Goldberg had known for a while. having Grown frustrated with how he was used by WWE Creative, who really didnt know what to do with him. Brocks decision was a more sudden one, when out of nowhere he decided he wanted to be an NFL player. The outcome for both in their last match in WWE was that the Madison Square Garden fans went absolutely bananas and jeered both men out of the building. Both men were visibly annoyed by the reaction and ended up having a sloppy, disappointing half brawl plagued by chants of You Sold Out and the usual Na, Na, Na, Na, Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye Song. Goldberg picked up the win, which was a complete moot point and after the bell, Special Referee Stone Cold Steve Austin stunned both men right out of the WWE. http://youtu.be/VvSFI_MvNd4