One of the biggest WWE stories of this century is Brock Lesnar abruptly quitting in March 2004. That decision had an enormous impact on the world of sports entertainment, not just in the WWE, but also ultimately in the UFC. The result was WWE business going to hell in the immediacy of Lesnar's exit. Especially the show Brock had anchored, Smackdown, which suffered a steep decline in the months after he left. House show attendances and television ratings were in free fall. Although Smackdown continues to survive to this day, it really hasn't been the same since. It had once been the best part of WWE, nowadays it is just an after thought that is used to promote Raw. Although WWE suffered for a few years after Lesnar's departure, they did eventually create new stars and found new success. Things worked out for Brock, too. He found a new home in the UFC, where he ended up becoming Heavyweight Champion and the biggest pay per view draw in their history. That ultimately made him a much bigger star, which allowed him to make a triumphant return to WWE in 2012. This past year he's been the biggest star in the company, for which he continues to be paid $5 million for limited dates. But let's stop to consider how different it all could have been. What if Lesnar hadn't left in 2004, what if Vince McMahon had been able to hang on to his prized asset?
