WWE's Post-Brock Lesnar Era Can't Come Fast Enough

An air of disappointment hung in the New Orleans air when Brock Lesnar pinned Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 34 on Sunday.

This wasn't a case of a crowd bemoaning the fact the villain bested the hero. The fact Lesnar would remain universal champion and stick around in WWE was the downer. As much of a marquee attraction and otherworldly athlete as Lesnar is, he is a frustrating, underwhelming presence atop the WWE food chain.

A sparse schedule and a shrunk-down in-ring arsenal have been key to that.

Leading up to WrestleMania, talk of Lesnar's expiring contract and potential return to UFC dominated the pre-bout conversation. Many assumed his showdown with Reigns would be his final duel before riding off. But The Big Dog's coronation didn't happen, and Lesnar instead left his foe bloodied and empty-handed.

The Beast Incarnate not only had the Universal Championship in his grip but also had a new WWE deal. The company announced Lesnar had re-signed and would face Reigns again at the Greatest Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia on April 27:

There's reason to believe Lesnar may lose the gold at that event and be on his way.

For one, Bleacher Report's Jeremy Botter noted via Twitter that Lesnar's deal is a short-term one. And the Lesnar-WWE marriage is apparently not blissful. Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet reported that Lesnar and WWE CEO Vince McMahon had a heated backstage exchange after WrestleMania that may have included the champ throwing his title at the boss.

That news can only worsen Lesnar's relationship with the WWE faithful, further adding to the perception that he is a diva.

There will be many fans happy to see the big man go. He's often viewed as entitled and lacking passion for the business. WWE went as far to play that up by scripting Reigns to call out Lesnar for exactly that in the buildup to their title clash.

There's also a distaste for Lesnar because he is rarely around. His contract allows him to make sporadic appearances even though he's the universal titleholder.

He has competed in just 21 matches in 2017 and 2018 combined, per CageMatch.net. By comparison, WWE champion AJ Styles has wrestled 212 times in that span.

It's one thing to not overexpose a top star, but Lesnar's limited role forces WWE to work around him, to hold back the main event scene. The company is left shooting many of its scenes without its leading man.

Simply put, it's hard to tell much of a story with an absentee champion. 

And when Lesnar is around, his matches haven't regularly been main event quality. That's not looked upon kindly in an era that boasts mat wizards who churn out top-notch work night after night like Styles, Seth Rollins and Charlotte Flair.

It's not as if Lesnar can't deliver the goods. His meeting with Styles at Survivor Series was excellent. He thrived in a Match of the Year candidate at last year's SummerSlam.

So when he produces underwhelming stuff at the top of the card, as he did opposite Reigns at WrestleMania, it's maddening.

Credit: WWE.com

It's hard not to wonder how much of that is due to lack of effort. It's like a baseball team's ace having a series of so-so games while knowing he has Cy Young-ability. That's happened a bunch with The Beast Incarnate of late.

Lesnar's matches with Braun Strowman, Goldberg, Samoa Joe and others all failed to live up to the hype.

Much of the blame for that has to be on Lesnar's shift to a less varied style. His contests have become parodies of themselves. It's all suplexes and F-5s, short bursts of violence and red-faced screams.

Whether that's thanks to a directive from WWE or the champion's choice, it's led to Suplex City being a most underwhelming place.

With all that in mind, it's hard not to want the company to move on from Lesnar. A Brock-less WWE would be one wherein the WrestleMania main event doesn't draw "this is awful" chants, as it did Sunday. A Raw minus Lesnar could be built around a centerpiece star who is more regularly available.

When he makes his exit, there are Superstars aplenty ready to take his place.

If WWE wants a towering beast of a man who can terrorize the roster, it could turn to Braun Strowman. If it wants a powerhouse with an impressive amateur wrestling background, the newly returned Bobby Lashley could fill that role. Ronda Rousey, meanwhile, offers UFC crossover star appeal a la Lesnar.

What about a relentless villain Paul Heyman advocates? Reigns is your guy should he turn heel.

The roster is so deep WWE opted to have John Cena vs. Undertaker be a last-minute WrestleMania add-on. The women's division is historically good. The NXT brand is loaded. Younger, hungrier talent is raring to go.

WWE's future is so bright that it doesn't need Lesnar's massive star and all the headaches that come with it.