WWE Should Not Be Upset with Brock Lesnar Over Reported Contract Negotiations

Brock Lesnar is all the rage these days, thanks to an incident that recently took place between him and Vince McMahon.  According to F4WOnline (h/t WrestlingInc.com), The Beast Incarnate and WWE owner exchanged words about Brock's contract, and since that night fans cannot stop talking about it.

But if they're surprised, they shouldn't be.  And neither should WWE.

Let's face it, Lesnar has been a hot-button topic of conversation since he returned to the company back in 2012, and not always a positive one.  Despite how much he's over and how popular he is in many circles, the truth is that Lesnar carries a huge reputation with him.

And that reputation has to do with his being a hired gun.

Basically, Lesnar is a mercenary for hire, a guy who had virtually nothing to do with professional wrestling anymore but was brought back and paid to run through the main event roster.  CM Punk, The Big Show, Triple H, John Cena and The Undertaker all fell to The Beast; Lesnar left them for dead while he went laughing all the way to the bank.

Maybe he didn't laugh, but he surely smiled quite a bit.  And why wouldn't he?

Why wouldn't Lesnar be happy with the arrangement he's had with McMahon?  He's worked a limited number of dates per year, has looked extremely good when he was on TV and has been paid handsomely for his efforts.  

While the rest of the WWE locker room worked hard each and every week, Lesnar was allowed to come in and have his run, then go on his way until his phone rang again.  That was the nature of his contract; that was obviously what the company wanted from him.

So why is everyone upset now?

More specifically, why is the McMahon family upset now?  Lesnar was essentially treated like royalty; WWE rolled out the red carpet for him many times in the past three years. And nearly every time they did, Lesnar won his match and then disappeared again.  Is this not what they wanted?

Did WWE truly expect total allegiance from someone who was operating on a less-than-part-time basis? If the answer is yes, then one must truly begin to question why.

This is not a typical situation, and Lesnar is not a typical Superstar.  He's not there 24/7, traveling on the road, working house shows and trying to build his career.  The only loyalty he has is to himself.  And it's for that reason that WWE cannot treat him like everyone else on the roster.

Some may say that its preferential treatment, that Lesnar is being given more leniency than others would be shown in the same situation.  His critics likely believe that he's just not doing enough to warrant any special consideration at all, and that WWE should perhaps just cut ties with him and move on with the locker room full of talent that's already there.

But WWE asked for this.  They wanted a prize fighter, and they got one.  That's how he's been booked, how he's been presented to fans and could very well be how he sees himself.  Anyone blaming him or feeling that his contract demands are unreasonable is just not looking at the big picture.

Lesnar is the biggest gun that WWE has, next to John Cena.  There is no one else.

And because of that, the company is now in a tough spot.  Roman Reigns has the match of his life coming up at WrestleMania 31 when he's supposed to face Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  Reigns is on his way. He's evidently what the company wants and could be the man hoisting the gold belt over his head at the end of the match.

But without Lesnar, there is no match.

There is no passing of the torch, no evolution to be had at all if Lesnar is not at WrestleMania.  He holds all the cards right now, and the fact is that WWE dealt them.  He is the middle man between Cena and Reigns, and if the former Shield strongman is to ascend, he must pin Lesnar to do it.

The Beast is in charge here, and the blame for that rests with WWE.

Lesnar will likely be at Mania.  If he decides UFC is his next destination, then he surely will want to fulfill his obligations to WWE before moving on.  But whether he stays or goes, there is no doubt that he will do so on his terms.  

After all, that's how WWE wanted it.