10 Most Surreal WWE Matches Ever

9. John Cena Vs. Brock Lesnar - Extreme Rules 2012

Toxic Turtles II
WWE

The very sight of Brock Lesnar in a WWE ring was surreal in 2012. He walked out on the company eight years earlier, made thoroughly miserable by the brutal schedule - and far surpassed his initial celebrity and purse by briefly dominating the UFC Heavyweight division in the interim.

Money talked, and thus Lesnar returned to the fold under unprecedented terms. His debut match saw him beat and bloody the man he perceived to luck out on his throne: John Cena. It was astonishing to witness such a claret-drenched, one-sided thrashing at the height of the SuperCena Era. Blood, to every other performer, was a no-no. Lesnar smeared the blood he scraped from Cena's skull over his chest, and licked it - literally lapping up the singular freedom afforded to him. We were even treated to a ludicrous sight gag in the midst of it all; Lesnar hoisted ref Charles Robinson up by his belt like a suitcase. Lesnar always does have one eye on his private plane, so it was fairly apt.

More surreal still was the finish. After absorbing very little punishment, comparatively, Lesnar - WWE's hideously expensive meal ticket - ate the pin. Over the course of 18 crazed minutes, the status quo was shattered - and depressingly restored, just as quickly.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!