Triple H Has Unlocked the Best Version of Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar returned on the latest episode of Raw to take part in the next chapter of his ongoing rivalry with Bobby Lashley.
The Beast Incarnate has been a dominant force and a huge draw for the company, but this may be the most practical use of his appearances in some time. Even more, it seems like the 10-time world champion is having more fun portraying the latest version of his character.
When he spoke to Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post last March, the 45-year-old revealed that he was prepared to retire after WrestleMania 36. His return at SummerSlam 2021 marked the change into what fans have affectionately dubbed "Cowboy Brock," who he believes is closer to his real personality.
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"This is the real Brock Lesnar," he said. "I'm a country hillbilly f--k, and that's who I am. I grew up the same way. I can be a funny f--ker. I can be serious. I can be bipolar and change my persona on a flick of a switch, just ask my kids. I can change on a dime. I can be joking with you and then rip your f--king head off the next second. It's just the way I am."
The shift of pace seemed to work wonders for him as he became a babyface for the first time in years. Many fans take to this version of The Mayor of Suplex City. Even if this "good ol' boy" bit isn't your cup of tea, it's hard not to see how earnest and enthusiastic he has been during this stint of his career.
A New Lease on Life
This new approach is certainly a far cry from the part-time heel champion who notoriously hated the fans and wrestling in character. That iteration of Lesnar made it easy to root against him and build Roman Reigns up as the man to topple him. However, it seems like such a waste of a dynamic performer in retrospect.
His looming presence over the world title picture from 2017 to 2022 as a stoic final boss with Paul Heyman as a mouthpiece was an act that grew stale. It highlighted his absence in the worst way and only presented him as a tedious obstacle for other main eventers to fail to overcome.
Yes, we were supposed to hate him and cheer for the underdog who could finally slay the beast. Nevertheless, it still seems like such a misuse of his personality and undeniable star power.
It made some viewers dread appearances from arguably the biggest crossover star on the roster. That wasn't because he couldn't wrestle or he didn't fit WWE's trademark approach to pro wrestling.
No, it became a chore because the company conditioned us to watch him annihilate our favorite superstars and disappear for months. This style of booking eventually made Lesnar feel like a hindrance instead of a compelling threat to conquer.
Frankly, it grew boring, as his wins felt like an inevitability. Most of his title feuds became predictable and unsatisfying.
Similarly, Reigns has formulaically beaten every challenger during his current run as The Head of the Table. However, he's also currently a part of the hottest storyline in the company when he's on television and delivering the best character work of his career.
For those reasons, we have connected with The Tribal Chief in a way we didn't with Lesnar. Viewers are invested in him and The Bloodline even though he also works a lighter schedule and employs Heyman as an adviser.
Surprising Staying Power
At this point, Lesnar works better as a special attraction as opposed to the main champion of a brand. Bringing him in to have matches with Lashley and continue their year-long feud at pay-per events has been a perfect use of The Beast Incarnate.
To that end, the 45-year-old has fit into the Triple H era seamlessly. It finally seems likes WWE is maximizing his talent again and utilizing his larger-than-life presence to advance storylines and produce engaging feuds.
The All Mighty star has been campaigning for a match with Lesnar for years. What many of us thought would be a one-off matchup has surprisingly become an entertaining rivalry. In fact, this ongoing storyline works so well because Lashley's popularity has steadily improved as a result of it.
The Last Man Standing match from SummerSlam was also an ideal ending to his conflict with Reigns. WWE doesn't need to keep revisiting that feud anymore. Giving him fresh matchups and a potential dream match with Gunther is the way to go.
Nevertheless, the company is getting the most out of Lesnar in the tail end of his monumental career. Who would've guessed that he would become more enjoyable without constraints and a dated presentation? It's an impressive feat to remain relevant and continue to grow as a performer after 20 years.
It's unclear what WWE has planned for him for WrestleMania 39, but it will be interesting to see how he factors into it without a championship for the first time in recent memory.
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