Brock Lesnar returned to WWE television two weeks ago, and at first, he did nothing much. He was cheered, but nothing really happened. This past week, he was destroyed on Monday Night Raw by Seth Rollins and other members of The Authority which didn’t just draw him sympathy, but also concern — babyface concern. Not only did WWE have a major star return in Lesnar, but they also went ahead and made him the company’s top babyface.
No matter what, Lesnar is going to be cheered by the fans. He is treated the same way that Ric Flair and Stone Cold Steve Austin were treated late in their careers. It’s the way the fans currently look at Dean Ambrose too, but on a much higher level.
All of those guys could go after any major heel or babyface in the company, and the fans were going to cheer him. WWE had/has allowed those superstars to do as they please and get the big pops. The same can be said for Brock Lesnar, and that’s how it has been for the past two years.
Now, though, WWE went and did something else with Lesnar. They actually turned him babyface.
Yes, they actually went through with the full turn. When he returned, there was a chance that they could have been trying to turn him heel by aligning him with The Authority. This week on Raw , The Authority cemented their heel status by destroying the Beast Incarnate.
This is where it kind of gets odd.
Now, Lesnar is not just the no-nonsense, doesn’t-care-about-anyone wrestler who does what he wants and the fans love him for it. On Monday, Lesnar looked as if he was vulnerable and could be defeated.
That’s needed. As fun as it is for the fans to watch Brock Lesnar destroy people, it would eventually (way down the line) get old. Sure, Rollins needed the help of J&J Security and Kane to get the job done, but it worked and The Authority received some huge heat for it.
The thing is, that attack completely turned Lesnar into the company’s top babyface. Not only will the “smart” fans cheer him, but this will get the marks, little kids, and casual fans to cheer him too.
WWE needs to make sure that Lesnar can be in the babyface role full-time, but that he doesn’t turn into the sad and beatable babyface. He needs to stay dominant. Lesnar can be challenged from time-to-time, but don’t turn him desperate.
The feud with Seth Rollins is a good one, and even good ol’ Jim Ross believes it should continue for a very long time. He actually thinks it should keep going through to WrestleMania 32 .
“I’d still like to see Seth Rollins hold the WWE Title until Wrestlemania Texas. There is where Lesnar could win the title back IMO after winning the 2016 Royal Rumble. Now that’s the cue for someone to pipe up that idea is too predictable but I’ll go for doing the right thing over doing something unpredictable for the sake of surprise any day. It’s a great, long term storyline arc that makes sense on many fronts.”
It’s possible that something like that could happen, but will fans stay interested for that long?
Brock Lesnar is indeed the most anticipated wrestler and must-see attraction in wrestling right now, and WWE has made him the company’s top babyface. It’s not John Cena or Randy Orton or anyone else — it’s Lesnar. The question now remains — Is Lesnar up for the position?
[Image via WWE]