If all he cares about is making the most money possible every second of his life, are you going to explain to me why he left wrestling and never came back until now? You did finally stumble upon an relevant point, that being that WWE has been trying to do business with him for some time now. The way you define things in ways that make little sense can be amusing. Such a negative spin that they are both using each other. If they are both getting stuff out of it no one is necessarily getting used, that is mostly in your head. It is how most jobs work.[\QUOTE]
He left wrestling because he didn't like it and felt he was enough of a commodity to make it elsewhere. While he was wrong about making it in the NFL, he did make it in MMA where he could work less and make good money. When he could no longer do MMA due to suspension and sickness, guess where he went? Back to the place that would pay him the most that he COULD do. The difference though is that this time he is a former star with leverage. WWE needs Lesnar because now not only does the WWE audience know him, but MMA audiences do as well. That also exposes you to the ESPN audience when highlights MMA but not WWE. Brock's name value is greater now so he gets what he wants: big money to work a limited schedule. It may sound negative but Brock is indeed "using" the WWE to make a big paycheck while WWE is "using" Brock to sell their shows for a year. It may sound negative but that's the world we live in. People use one another for gain and that's what is happening here.
If the subject is bullshit, let's talk about the large amount of area in between loves wrestling and hates wrestling. The idea that Brock doesn't like prowrestling at all is bullshit and anyone with common sense knows that.
"I hadn't watched 5 minutes of pro wrestling in my life" - Brock Lesnar from his book Death Clutch. The quote comes from page 34. On that page, it also says that he signed with WWE over trying out for the Tampa Bay Bucs because WWE offered guaranteed money. I never used the word hate in reference to Brock and the business, you did. I did suggest though that Brock doesn't love the business like basically every other guy that made it. The business is grueling as we all know with a lot of travel, a lot of pain, and a lot of sacrifice. Brock didn't grow up a wrestling fan and got into the business to make money, not to live out a lifelong dream. That's why I was showing the difference between Brock and Rock. Rock grew up in the business and loves it. Brock knows it was good to him to help give him a name but he's not like most of these guys who would do anything to be a part of it. He became part of it because of the money. He says so. If he's not the best source about himself, I don't know who is. So again, just to simpify what I said. I NEVER said Brock hates the business, but he doesn't love it whereas others do and that's what brings them back. Money brings Brock back and that is his ONLY motivation. The same book he says that when he met Vince he "only saw a man who could sign my paychecks". I'm not trying to paint him as money hungry, but he's a businessman, not a fan of this business. I hope that makes sense.
It seems you finally went to a more reasonable statement, Cena loves the business more than Brock. Likely true but why does this matter so much? Why is it so important that Cena likes spending all that time on the road while Brock didn't as much?
It's important to the WWE and that's why he's the top guy. WWE wanted Brock to be that guy but he essentially dropped the ball on them after they gave him everything. Someone like Cena isn't looking to get out of the business and that's because he loves every aspect of it. Loyalty to a company means something to that company and combining his work ethic, loyalty, talent, marketability, and willingness to do everything for the company makes Cena the company's top guy. Not sure how this had anything to do with anything but it's certainly a fact.
It amuses me how much stock you put in the kayfabe image WWE has created for Cena. So when Cena gets paid it is because he is a commodity
, such a thing practically forces him to begrudgingly be the highest paid wrestler. However, when Brock tells the truth, instead of hiding behind a fairy tale, that he likes to get paid it makes him a money grubbing prick? I suppose that actually makes sense to you
.
That's just it though. You are painting a picture out of shit I didn't say. All I've said is that John Cena is in the position he's in because he busts his ass. Doing so for a company you love will get you paid but John Cena isn't going above and beyond the call of duty solely for the paycheck. Listen to his non WWE interviews. Listen to him talk. John Cena loves what he does which is why he does it. Brock is back doing it because it makes him money. That's not the part that makes him a prick though. You said that. We'll get to why Brock is a prick but money isn't it. It's just that there is proof that Brock was involved in wrestling in the first place because of money and he's back because of money. See, Rock came back and while I'm sure he got paid well for it, he didn't need the money. Rock is getting movie roles all the time. Brock has very little right now. He can't fight in MMA, he failed at football, he has very little as far as other marketable skills, and he's not going to get a desk job. He's a former wrestler and they can mutually benefit from one another so he's back. Rock came back because he likes to be in front of a crowd. For Brock this is purely business. I'm not basing any of this on "kayfabe" either. It's really true that Cena works his ass off because he loves the wrestling business, it's really true that Rock loves it and came back despite making WAY more as an actor, and it's really true that Brock came back because it could earn him a good living for a year. I don't know why this is such an issue and why you think I'm attacking Brock for it. I'm not, it's just fact.
Prove that these insider beliefs are widely held among the American public.
I should really ignore this line out of sheer stupidity. You call it "insider beliefs" yet the opposite is true. "Insiders", as in the minority of people in this country that call themselves wrestling fans, knock Brock Lesnar and know he was talented as a wrestler. Many of those were excited for him to return. However, since I'm much better at this than you, I may even humor you here. I don't have to, as "prove it" with stuff like this is a cop out for anyone who can't argue, but since you are apparently that stupid, here's at least something to wet your pallet with. And by the way, did you follow Brock's MMA career? I shouldn't have to "prove" anything as if you watched him at all, you'd see that he acted like a first class asshole throughout his stint in UFC. As evidence, I googled "Brock Lesnar Jerk" and it returned 200,000 hits in .17 seconds. Keep in mind this means anything written that would have those words. Now keep in mind that message boards where people discuss MMA like WWE would only count as ONE hit in a search like that but ultimately contain tons of posts referring to Brock in a negative connotation (to say the least). In just 10 minutes of research I came across over 100 threads dedicated to the disdain of Brock on only 3 MMA sites with message boards. Add that all to the fact that the sports media covered Brock and told the world that he's an asshole and you have.........an asshole. I didn't have to prove it, but I did. If the general public were asked about Brock Lesnar, they'd most likely identify him as a jerk.
Why do you keep harping on "coming back for the fans" like there were only two possible stories/characters for him to play out when he returned? You seem obsessed with your analysis of Brock being a prick in real life. There are plenty of pricks that are faces right now in WWE. One of them just had a great program with Cena over the summer as an ambiguous face.
The same prick that took a stand against domestic abuse? The same prick who speaks out against drug abuse? The same prick who does those things without being told to? Yeah, he's brash but he's not exactly without a conscience. The guy has quite good intentions and people know that. That said, it's not important as you brought it up as a failed example. The important part is another thing you didn't quite get. I'm not suggesting that there's only two ways to bring back a guy. I suggested, and I stand by this, that it works just fine to have Brock come back and be a bad guy because many people see him that way. Bringing Brock in was done as much to try and draw the MMA crowd as it was to draw in the wrestling crowd. The wrestling crowd is already there and likely more "old school" wrestling fans came back to see Rock than they ever would for Lesnar. Thus, Brock's demographic is MMA fans and they know him as a prick, the guy who gave the fans the finger after a fight and made the fans scream obscenities at him due to his words and actions. I know you are saying he could be a "badass face" and be ambiguous, and I'm not saying he couldn't have been that. I'm just saying that making him a prick and the bad guy seems right up his alley and I think it works.
For no reason? How about the reason that there are plenty of people that want to cheer him in spite of what you might think. How about the fact that the people that don't like Cena are a significant portion of the audience, especially since they just ran a major program specifically designed to get those people highly interested in the product.
Ok the second sentence doesn't make sense but I've mentioned before that some wrestling fans will cheer Brock upon return. I never said they wouldn't. I also know that a significant portion of fans boo Cena on a weekly basis. Been that way for 7 years so that's no surprise.
If you look at the feuds Cena has had recently that garnered a lot of interest they were the ambiguous face matchups (Punk and Rock). Why would you tell a face-heel story that appeals to less of the possible audience when they are primed for something that involves everyone again?
Not sure how the story appeals to less of the audience solely because of how Brock is being portrayed. The marquee stills reads Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena right? And they still want to kick each others asses? If both are true (spoiler: they are), the match will sell. You aren't appealing to less people in any way. All you are doing is creating a more interesting character for Brock.........ie something close to how he is perceived. Again, he's done some bad things outside of WWE so for him to cut a promo and say jerky things isn't such a stretch. Could they have had him say nothing before the matchup and let the fans decide? Sure. All I've said from the beginning is that they COULD have gone that way, but I like the way they went even better.
To me it seems obvious that choice has nothing to do with Brock's "true personality" and likely quite a bit to do with how WWE prefers to use the Cena character.
The Cena character doesn't change regardless of who he's facing. Face or heel, he's just John Cena. In fact, John Cena the character is pretty damn close to John Cena the man. Making Brock heel has nothing to do with how WWE uses Cena as Brock the face and Brock the heel would see the same exact John Cena. This is more about how Brock is best used and tapping into Brock coming back for money and thinking he's g-ds gift makes him a more intriguing character in the long run.
I just think it is dumb for Brock to be kicking people in the balls from behind randomly. I don't see how that makes sense for or helps establish a good choice of a character for him at all.
It took you like 30 lines but what you said here isn't totally stupid. On the surface, I see why people are like "he's Brock Lesnar, he doesn't need cheap heel tactics". I get that. However, realize that his character believes that he's more important than anyone else and that him being there is so important that he basically can do no wrong. Therefore, he can do what he damn well pleases. So running around and blindsiding people is ok in his mind because Johnny won't punish him for it. He doesn't like Cena (obviously based on the earlier brawl and to the "insider" crowd there might be legit heat) so why not get every shot you can in on him? Yeah, that part I"m not 100 percent on but I get it. I like that the feud has gone the way it has and we can agree to disagree on that which I can respect. As long as you aren't trying to argue that all fans should like Brock or something, I think we're ok. That said, after that huge pop. Brock's already gotten some boos in his promo and in shaking Laurinitis' hand. I think that's a good sign and I stand by the fact that I believe Lesnar to be a perfect and natural bad guy because he isn't such a great guy. All I've said from the beginning is that I think it fits and I like it. I'm entitled to that opinion and I'm sticking to it. You can have your opinion that you don't think Brock needed to be a heel for this feud. I can respect that too. It's all a matter of opinion. Either way, Brock vs. Cena will sell. It's just what we prefer as individuals for the story, that's all.
