In the days leading up to WrestleMania XXXI, speculation was running rampant that Brock Lesnar was going to drop his WWE World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns at Mania because his contract was up the following day. Rumors were flying that Lesnar might return to UFC for one last run in the octagon. Instead, Brock announced on ESPN just days before Mania that he had re-signed with WWE and was saying put, retiring from UFC and deciding to compete in the squared circle. That decision created shockwaves throughout WWE, as the question had to be asked whether he would retain his world title (he wouldnt) and how would WWE use him going forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fOJGZ-NVXE Since its a limited appearance deal, it wasnt shocking that Lesnar was written off WWE television for a few months after WrestleMania, but his return became a central part of WWE storylines as the first half of the year wound down, with WWE announcing that he would headline a Network special event from Tokyo on July 4. It is debatable if this is the biggest positive of the year, but the fact remains that Lesnar is one of the very few marketable, bankable mainstream performers WWE has under contract. Keeping him as an asset and a draw for the company is a huge deal. For fans, Lesnar is a guaranteed spectacle, his matches must-see affairs and hopefully someone who will be a part of the companys plans in the coming months.
Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fondly remembers watching WrestleMania III, IV, V and VI and Saturday Night's Main Event, came back to wrestling during the Attitude Era, and has been a consumer of sports entertainment since then. He's written for WhatCulture for more than a decade, establishing the Ups and Downs articles for WWE Raw and WWE PPVs/PLEs and composing pieces on a variety of topics.
