Sometimes it feels like Brock Lesnar’s WWE opponents all read from the same script. Throughout their storyline with The Beast, challengers criticize Lesnar’s status as such a reclusive champion. This narrative, while a bit overdone, is good enough for most fans, and Seth Rollins just issued his latest batch of anti-Lesnar stock dialogue. But in Rollins’ defense, he did add a personal anecdote that is hard to deny.
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In an interview with Sports News, Rollins launching into Lesnar’s privilege schedule and how it affects WWE’s show’s on a regular basis.
“I’m old-school, man. I want my champion to be there headlining all of the events. We go to these live events and Brock Lesnar is not there and we go to Raw or pay-per-views and Brock Lesnar’s not there”e he said. “Somebody has to pick up the slack and carry that mantle.
Rollins went on to say that while smaller titles get a temporary promotion with the Universal strap on ice, WWE is a better place with their top trophy being regularly featured.
“I was able to try and do that for a while with the Intercontinental Championship. I took that to the main event of a pay-per-view with Dolph Ziggler (WWE TLC in December 2018). You can do what you want but there’s still so much prestige over the Universal Championship. Everybody feels that the champion is the champion,” said Rollins.
Then Rollins added a touch of personal perspective by saying that Lesnar’s persona is one that won’t be ignited a young fan’s dream of becoming a WWE Superstar. To Rollins, there’s a long list of former champions that could connect with fans in a meaningful way, but Lesnar just isn’t one of them.
“When you’ve got somebody like Lesnar who doesn’t really care about inspiring other people, you start to lose a generation. You lose people who are motivated. If I didn’t have champions who inspired me when I was younger, I may not have wanted to be a professional wrestler. I may not have wanted to get into this business,” he said.
Unlike champions of the past, so much of Lesnar’s persona is attached to him being aloof. And that disconnect, to Rollins, is no good for WWE’s environment.
“There are guys like Shawn Michaels and Triple H and John Cena and Edge and Eddie Guerrero and these guys became champions. They inspire people to want to get into this industry and to push it forward and Brock Lesnar just doesn’t do that. He doesn’t inspire people. He’s in it for himself and he’ll tell you that. He’s in it for the money and he’ll tell you that. It’s just frustrating for me as a fan of our industry to see it kind of being held hostage by someone who only cares about themselves and making their own money.”
