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Jim Ross Reveals Vince McMahon's Reaction to 1st Seeing Brock Lesnar
May 19, 2021
Current AEW and former longtime WWE announcer Jim Ross divulged this week that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon had proverbial stars in his eyes the first time he saw Brock Lesnar.
In an interview with Alex McCarthy of TalkSport, Ross discussed the time that he brought Lesnar backstage at a WWE taping in Minneapolis while he and Gerald Brisco were attempting to recruit Lesnar into the company.
Regarding Vince's first encounter with Lesnar, Ross said:
"So when Vince laid eyes on him he knew that we had the guy. If he had any aptitude whatsoever–we knew athletically he was going to be great, he'd already proven himself as an athlete–but if he could get the showbiz side of it and have the aptitude to be a pro wrestler, he was going to be our guy for a while. And that worked out."
Ross noted that McMahon had never seen Lesnar before that night and "bee-lined" for the collegiate wrestling champion as soon as he caught a glimpse.
McMahon, Ross and Brisco were on the money with Lesnar, as he made his WWE debut in 2002, was paired with Paul Heyman and instantly became known as The Next Big Thing.
Lesnar went on to win the WWE Championship at age 25, just 126 days after his debut, and he has since established himself as one of the top stars in the history of the business.
Brock's first run with WWE was brief, as it lasted from 2002 to 2004, but he returned in 2012 and has been a top attraction since.
Overall, The Beast Incarnate is a five-time WWE champion, three-time Universal champion and one-time winner of the Royal Rumble, Money in the Bank and King of the Ring.
Lesnar has not competed in a WWE ring since WrestleMania 36 last year and is a free agent, but if McMahon feels WWE needs a boost, one can only assume he will place some calls to Brock.
Lesnar has become one of McMahon's most trusted, consistent performers over the years, and based on JR's account, Vince always envisioned big things for the extraordinary athlete.
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