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'''Brock Edward Lesnar''' (born [[July 12]], [[1977]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[professional wrestling|professional wrestler]], best known for his time with [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] (WWE). He is also a former professional [[American football]] player and aspiring [[mixed martial arts|mixed martial artist]]. |
'''Brock Edward Lesnar''' (born [[July 12]], [[1977]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[professional wrestling|professional wrestler]], best known for his time with [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] (WWE). He is also a former professional [[American football]] player and aspiring [[mixed martial arts|mixed martial artist]]. |
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==Early |
==Early Career== |
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Before entering professional wrestling, Lesnar wrestled at Webster High School in Webster, South Dakota. Coached by John Schiley, he qualified for the state wrestling tournament several times, but was unable to get first place. |
Before entering professional wrestling, Lesnar wrestled at Webster High School in Webster, South Dakota. Coached by John Schiley, he qualified for the state wrestling tournament several times, but was unable to get first place. |
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Lesnar later attended the [[University of Minnesota]] on a full wrestling scholarship, where his roommate was fellow professional wrestler [[Shelton Benjamin]]. Lesnar won the 2000 [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] wrestling championships as a heavyweight after placing second in 1999 |
Lesnar later attended the [[University of Minnesota]] on a full wrestling scholarship, where his roommate was fellow professional wrestler [[Shelton Benjamin]]. Lesnar won the 2000 [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] wrestling championships as a heavyweight after placing second in 1999. Prior to joining the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers]], Lesnar also wrestled at [[Bismarck State College]] in [[Bismarck, North Dakota]]. Later in 2000, Lesnar joined WWF development, [[Ohio Valley Wrestling]]. |
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==World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment == |
==World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment == |
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After joining WWF development in 2000, Lesnar formed a [[tag team]] known as the '''Minnesota Stretching Crew''' (a reference to the [[Minnesota Wrecking Crew]]) with his former college roommate, [[Shelton Benjamin]] in its [[Ohio Valley Wrestling]] territory. Lesnar and Benjamin won the [[OVW Southern Tag Team Championship]] on three occasions. Lesnar wrestled several [[dark match]]es in 2001 and 2002 before |
After joining WWF development in 2000, Lesnar formed a [[tag team]] known as the '''Minnesota Stretching Crew''' (a reference to the [[Minnesota Wrecking Crew]]) with his former college roommate, [[Shelton Benjamin]] in its [[Ohio Valley Wrestling]] territory. Lesnar and Benjamin won the [[OVW Southern Tag Team Championship]] on three occasions and together appeared on WWE magazines while still in OVW. Lesnar wrestled several [[dark match]]es in 2001 and 2002 before being called up to the main roster. |
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===Main roster (2002-2004)=== |
===Main roster (2002-2004)=== |
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Lesnar was [[Push (professional wrestling)|pushed]] strongly, interfering in matches, and [[Squash (professional wrestling)|squashing]] his opponents to frequently win by [[knockout]]. |
Lesnar was [[Push (professional wrestling)|pushed]] strongly, interfering in matches, and [[Squash (professional wrestling)|squashing]] his opponents to frequently win by [[knockout]]. |
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Lesnar's first feud was with the [[Hardy Boyz]]. Lesnar was seen giving [[Matt Hardy]] an [[Facebuster#F-5|F-5]] on the steel ramp, which left an angered [[Jeff Hardy]] wanting revenge on Lesnar. |
Lesnar's first [[feud (professional wrestling)|feud]] was with the [[Hardy Boyz]]. Lesnar was seen giving [[Matt Hardy]] an [[Facebuster#F-5|F-5]] on the steel ramp, which left an angered [[Jeff Hardy]] wanting revenge on Lesnar. The two squared off at [[WWE Backlash#2002|''Backlash 2002'']] in Lesnar's first official televised match. Lesnar would destroy Hardy and win the match by knockout. The next night he faced Matt Hardy, destroying him in the same fasion. At [[WWE Judgment Day#2002|''Judgment Day 2002'']], Lesnar once again gained the upper hand on the Hardy Boyz tag team before tagging his partner, Heyman, in to take the win. |
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In [[June 2002]], Lesnar won the [[King of the Ring#2002|2002 ''King of the Ring'']] tournament |
In [[June 2002]], Lesnar won the [[King of the Ring#2002|2002 ''King of the Ring'']] tournament. defeating [[Rob Van Dam]] in the final round. This victory earned him a shot at the [[WWE Undisputed Championship]] at [[SummerSlam (2002)|''SummerSlam 2002'']]. |
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On [[July 22]], 2002, Lesnar joined the [[WWE Friday Night SmackDown!|SmackDown!]] brand. After an angle with [[Hulk Hogan]], which saw Lesnar hand Hogan his most convincing defeat in history in August 2002, Lesnar began feuding with the Undisputed Champion [[The Rock (entertainer)|The Rock]]. |
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⚫ | At the main event of |
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⚫ | At the main event of [[SummerSlam (2002)|SummerSlam 2002]], Lesnar defeated The Rock to become the new and final [[WWE Undisputed Champion]]. Lesnar, at age 25, was then the youngest WWE Champion ever ([[as of 2007]], he is still technically the youngest WWE Champion ever, but [[Randy Orton]] is the youngest world champion in WWE history, having won the [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Championship]] at 24). Due to the requirements of the WWE Undisputed Championship being defended on both shows, ''RAW'' general manager [[Eric Bischoff]] expected Lesnar to be able to return on ''RAW'' the next night. However, SmackDown! general manager [[Stephanie McMahon-Levesque|Stephanie McMahon]] announced that Lesnar's contract required that he would defend the title only on SmackDown!, forcing Bischoff to separate the [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Championship]] from the [[WWE Championship]] and in turn making the title lose its "Undisputed" name. |
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⚫ | Lesnar's rapid rise to the top of WWE in 2002 led to a match between him and The Undertaker at [[WWE Unforgiven#2002| |
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⚫ | Lesnar's rapid rise to the top of WWE in 2002 led to a match between him and The Undertaker at [[WWE Unforgiven#2002|Unforgiven 2002]]. It ended in a double disqualification leading to Lesnar retaining the title. The next month, at [[WWE No Mercy#2002|No Mercy 2002]], in what some say is the [[Thrilla in Manila]] of wrestling and the match that "made" Brock Lesnar, he faced The Undertaker again, this time in a [[Hell in a Cell]] match. Hype leading up to the match (for the WWE Championship) was tremendous and intense as Lesnar with Heyman broke the Undertaker's hand with a propane tank. Despite Heyman begging Stephanie McMahon not to let The Undertaker use his cast as a weapon, the request was denied and the match would go on as planned. It was a brutal match with both wrestlers "donning crimson masks" - their faces covered in thick blood (Undertaker's blood loss was particularly memorable, as he never stopped bleeding after he had [[Blading (professional wrestling)|bladed]]). Even Paul Heyman, who was outside of the cage, felt the Undertaker's wrath as Undertaker beat him up through holes in the cage. At a certain point, after Undertaker had taken advantage of his cast, Lesnar gained control and removed the cast, leaving Undertaker's broken hand at his mercy. This would prove to be the turning point of the match. The match ended when Lesnar reversed an attempted Tombstone into his signature F-5 for the win. After the match, Lesnar climbed to the top of the cell and held his title up high for all to see. Sometime during the match Undertaker had grabbed Paul and pulled him back and forward into the cell. In return, Brock got Heyman to take his belt and tie it around the cast of the Undertaker and hold it against the cell while Brock hit the cast numerous times with a chair until Heyman's belt broke. Lesnar succesfully retained his WWE title in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Handicap match|Handicap match]] with Heyman at the [[WWE Rebellion#2002|Rebellion 2002]] pay-per-view against [[Adam Copeland|Edge]] just six days after his Hell in a Cell match with The Undertaker. |
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⚫ | Brock's next opponent was [[Paul Wight|The Big Show]]. Heyman was convinced more than anyone that Lesnar couldn't win, trying to talk him out of defending the title. Lesnar refused, and went on to lose the championship in |
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⚫ | Brock's next opponent was [[Paul Wight|The Big Show]]. Heyman was convinced more than anyone that Lesnar couldn't win, trying to talk him out of defending the title. Lesnar refused, and went on to lose the championship in [[Madison Square Garden]] at the [[Survivor Series (2002)|Survivor Series 2002]] pay-per-view to The Big Show in under six minutes when, after giving an F-5 to the 500-pounder, he was betrayed by Heyman. This was Lesnar's first pinfall loss in WWE. |
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⚫ | Following ''Survivor Series'', Heyman made it clear that Lesnar would not get a rematch, even going so far as to sneak a special clause in his contract. Prior to entering the Royal Rumble on [[January 19]], [[2003]], Lesnar faced The Big Show in a qualification match where the winner could enter the Rumble and the loser could not. Despite interference from Paul Heyman, Lesnar defeated The Big Show with an F-5. He entered the Rumble as the #29 entrant. |
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⚫ | Following ''Survivor Series'', Heyman made it clear that Lesnar would not get a rematch, even going so far as to sneak a special clause in his contract. Prior to entering the Royal Rumble on [[January 19]], [[2003]], Lesnar faced The Big Show in a qualification match where the winner could enter the Rumble and the loser could not. Despite interference from Paul Heyman, Lesnar defeated The Big Show with an F-5. He entered the Rumble as the #29 entrant where he would win by eliminating The Undertaker last. |
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⚫ | After winning the [[Royal Rumble 2003|2003 Royal Rumble]] match in [[January 2003]], Lesnar spent the next two months feuding with Kurt Angle. Angle had Paul Heyman |
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⚫ | After winning the [[Royal Rumble 2003|2003 Royal Rumble]] match in [[January 2003]], Lesnar spent the next two months feuding with [[Kurt Angle]]. Angle had Paul Heyman and Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin, Lesnar's former partner, and [[Charlie Haas]]) behind him, but Lesnar overcame these opponents. The match between Lesnar and Angle going into ''[[WrestleMania XIX]]'' proved a historical moment as it marked the first time in WWE history that two accomplished amateur wrestlers (Angle with his Olympic gold medal and two NCAA Heavyweight Championships, Lesnar with his 2000 NCAA Heavyweight Championship) met in a ring. Lesnar regained the [[WWE Championship]] in the main event of ''WrestleMania XIX'' from Kurt Angle. Toward the end of the match, he botched a [[shooting star press]]; despite having landed the move successfully several times in OVW, in this match he overestimated the distance he was capable of jumping for the move and under-rotated, slamming his head into Angle's side and ribcage. This stunned Lesnar and forced Angle to improvise the finish of the match. Lesnar suffered a [[concussion]]. Later Lesnar admitted in interviews that this event took away some of his confidence and led to him realizing that he could get seriously hurt in the ring. This realization may have helped his decision to briefly leave professional wrestling and try out for the NFL (particularly the Minnesota Vikings; see the [[#National Football League|National Football League]] section). |
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⚫ | In August on ''SmackDown!'', Lesnar faced amputee wrestler [[Zach Gowen]] in Gowen's hometown. To cement his character's new "mean streak" [[Gimmick (professional wrestling)|gimmick]], he "broke" Gowen's remaining leg in front of his little brother and mother |
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[[Image:Brock_Lesnar_in_2003.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Brock Lesnar in [[September]] of [[2003]].]] |
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⚫ | The rematch was an [[Iron Man Match]]. Lesnar defeated Angle five falls to four, making him a 3-time WWE Champion. The match, overall, was considered their best and it won PWI Match of the Year honors for 2003. Angle and Lesnar also won Feud of the Year honors for their war over the WWE Championship and their matches at ''WrestleMania'', ''Vengeance'' and ''SummerSlam'', as well as the Iron Man Match on ''SmackDown!'' |
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⚫ | In August on ''SmackDown!'', Lesnar faced amputee wrestler [[Zach Gowen]] in Gowen's hometown. To cement his character's new "mean streak" [[Gimmick (professional wrestling)|gimmick]], he "broke" Gowen's remaining leg in front of his little brother and mother then adding insult to [[injury]] by tiping over the [[stretcher]] he was being carried out with and whiping his blood across his chest. This was all an attempt to make Brock a [[heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] to build towards a rematch with Kurt Angle. Despite his newfound aggression, Lesnar lost to Kurt Angle in the rematch at [[SummerSlam (2003)|SummerSlam 2003]] when Angle made Lesnar tap out to the [[Professional wrestling holds#Ankle Lock|ankle lock]]. Angle was the first (of two wrestlers) to gain a submission victory over Lesnar. [[Chris Benoit]] was the only other wrestler to make Lesnar tap out at [[Survivor Series (2003)|''Survivor Series 2003'']] (this, however, was a tag-team match where no title was on the line). Lesnar faced Benoit 2 weeks later on ''Smackdown!'' for the title making him pass out to his new Brock Lock submission hold. |
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⚫ | The rematch was an [[Iron Man Match]]. Lesnar defeated Angle with five falls to four, making him a 3-time WWE Champion. The match, overall, was considered their best and it won PWI Match of the Year honors for 2003. Angle and Lesnar also won Feud of the Year honors for their war over the WWE Championship and their matches at ''WrestleMania'', ''Vengeance'' and ''SummerSlam'', as well as the Iron Man Match on ''SmackDown!'' |
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⚫ | Lesnar realigned himself with Paul Heyman after Heyman became general manager of ''Smackdown!'', and had a brief feud with [[Bob Holly|Hardcore Holly]]. In this storyline, Holly wanted revenge on Lesnar for (legitimately) breaking his neck during a previous match between the two in 2002. During that match, Brock went for a [[powerbomb]], but Holly, believed by some to be uncooperative with rookies, supposedly [[sandbag (professional wrestling)|sandbagged]] mid-lift so that Lesnar couldn't get him all the way up [http://slashwrestling.com/tuesday/021008.html]. Holly |
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⚫ | Lesnar realigned himself with Paul Heyman after Heyman became general manager of ''Smackdown!'', and had a brief feud with [[Bob Holly|Hardcore Holly]]. In this storyline, Holly wanted revenge on Lesnar for (legitimately) breaking his neck during a previous match between the two in 2002. During that match, Brock went for a [[powerbomb]], but Holly, believed by some to be uncooperative with rookies, supposedly [[sandbag (professional wrestling)|sandbagged]] mid-lift so that Lesnar couldn't get him all the way up [http://slashwrestling.com/tuesday/021008.html]. Holly compounded the difficulty of the move by not lifting up at the waist. During the struggle, Lesnar (intentionally or unintentionally) planted Holly on his head, leaving him in need of neck surgery and out of action for a year. The feud was closed when Lesnar defeated Holly in 6 minutes to retain the WWE Championship at the [[2004 Royal Rumble|''Royal Rumble 2004'']]. In February he faced [[Eddie Guerrero]] for the title at [[WWE No Way Out#2004|''No Way Out 2004'']] in a match where Lesnar kept overpowering Guerrero, until [[Bill Goldberg|Goldberg]] interfered and attacked Lesnar, allowing Guerrero to capitalize and get the win for the WWE title. |
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Before losing the WWE Championship to Guerrero, Lesnar had begun a feud with ''RAW'''s [[Bill Goldberg|Goldberg]]. Lesnar had called Goldberg a "Brock wannabe". A confrontation between the two had been highly anticipated from Brock's debut, due to the similarities in the way the two wrestlers were pushed; Goldberg was regarded as the WCW phenom of 1998, Lesnar the WWE phenom of 2002. The feud began at [[Survivor Series#2003|''Survivor Series 2003'']], when both men were champions of their respective brands. Lesnar attacked Goldberg at the ''Royal Rumble 2004'', with Goldberg retailiating at ''No Way Out'' in Lesnar's match against Guerrero. This set up an interbrand match for ''[[WrestleMania XX]]'' between the two. |
Before losing the WWE Championship to Guerrero, Lesnar had begun a feud with ''RAW'''s [[Bill Goldberg|Goldberg]]. Lesnar had called Goldberg a "Brock wannabe". A confrontation between the two had been highly anticipated from Brock's debut, due to the similarities in the way the two wrestlers were pushed; Goldberg was regarded as the WCW phenom of 1998, while Lesnar was regarded the WWE phenom of 2002. The feud began at [[Survivor Series#2003|''Survivor Series 2003'']], when both men were champions of their respective brands. Lesnar attacked Goldberg at the ''Royal Rumble 2004'', with Goldberg retailiating at ''No Way Out'' in Lesnar's match against Guerrero. This set up an interbrand match for ''[[WrestleMania XX]]'' between the two. |
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During the feud with Goldberg, Lesnar also was feuding with ''RAW'''s [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] (who was shown suggesting to Goldberg that he attack Lesnar at ''No Way Out |
During the feud with Goldberg, Lesnar also was feuding with ''RAW'''s [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] (who was shown suggesting to Goldberg that he attack Lesnar at ''No Way Out''). When Lesnar attacked Austin on Raw and stole his [[All-terrain vehicle|four-wheeler]], Austin was inserted as the Special Guest Referee for the ''WrestleMania'' match. Behind the scenes, it was widely known that the match would be Goldberg's last in WWE, however only a week before ''WrestleMania'', rumours surfaced Lesnar too was leaving, in order to pursue a career in the [[NFL]]. As a result, the fans at Madison Square Garden jeered both wrestlers with very loud and distinct chants of "[[Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye|na na, hey hey]]" and "you sold out." Neither man was thought to have given his best effort in the match in what was supposed to be a clash of titans, and crowd support was mostly given to special referee Austin. Many critics and fans even go as far as to say this was one of the worst ''WrestleMania'' matches ever despite neither men not doing any mistakes during the match. Lesnar was said to be particularly shaken by this reaction and gave [[Finger (gesture)|the finger]] to both the crowd and Austin after the match. Because both men were leaving WWE, it was clear that the only man who would go [[over (professional wrestling)|over]] in the match would be Austin. |
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Although Goldberg won the match, both men were given a [[Stunner (professional wrestling)|Stone Cold Stunner]] by Austin on their way out. |
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==National Football League== |
==National Football League== |
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After his final match at ''[[WrestleMania XX]]'', Lesnar sidelined his career in WWE to pursue a career in the [[National Football League]]. This move upset many people, as WWE had invested heavily in Lesnar. |
After his final match at ''[[WrestleMania XX]]'', Lesnar sidelined his career in WWE to pursue a career in the [[National Football League]]. This move upset many people, as WWE had invested heavily in Lesnar. In a interview about him starting with the NFL he stated that "''..."This is no load of bull, It’s no WWE stunt. I am dead serious about this... I ain’t afraid of anything, and I ain’t afraid of anybody. I’ve been an underdog in athletics since I was 5. I got zero college offers for wrestling. Now people say I can’t play football, that it’s a joke. I say I can. I’m as good an athlete as a lot of guys in the NFL, if not better... I’ve always had to fight for everything. I wasn’t the best technician in amateur wrestling. But I was strong, had great conditioning, and a hard head. Nobody could break me. As long as I have that, I don’t give a damn what anybody else thinks.'' After playing in a few pre-season games for the [[Minnesota Vikings]], Lesnar was eventually cut from the team after not showing up for practices due to a injury sustained by a motorcycle ride during the summer of 2004. He declined to accept an invitation to play as a representative of the Vikings in [[NFL Europe]]. He made no attempts to sign with an [[Arena Football League|AFL]] or [[Canadian Football League|CFL]] team. Lesnar is listed as a [[free agent]] in ''[[Madden NFL 2005]]''. There was a producer-made model of Lesnar in Madden NFL 2005. Despite the name, the model looked almost nothing like the real Lesnar. |
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==Lawsuit with WWE== |
==Lawsuit with WWE== |
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On [[June 12]], 2006, A federal judge dismissed Lesnar's lawsuit against WWE after both parties requested for the case to be dismissed. |
On [[June 12]], 2006, A federal judge dismissed Lesnar's lawsuit against WWE after both parties requested for the case to be dismissed. |
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==New Japan Pro Wrestling |
==New Japan Pro Wrestling== |
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On [[October 8]], 2005, Lesnar won the [[IWGP World Heavyweight Championship]] in a three-way match at a [[New Japan Pro Wrestling]] show in the [[Tokyo Dome]], which included the then-champion [[Kazuyuki Fujita]] and [[Masahiro Chono]]. He won the match by pinning Masahiro Chono after an F-5, which he had renamed the '''''Verdict''''', since WWE owns the trademark on the '''''F-5''''' name. After the match, he stated that this name was referring to his lawsuit against WWE. The match was his first pro wrestling match since leaving WWE. |
On [[October 8]], 2005, Lesnar won the [[IWGP World Heavyweight Championship]] in a three-way match at a [[New Japan Pro Wrestling]] show in the [[Tokyo Dome]], which included the then-champion [[Kazuyuki Fujita]] and [[Masahiro Chono]]. He won the match by pinning Masahiro Chono after an F-5, which he had renamed the '''''Verdict''''', since WWE owns the trademark on the '''''F-5''''' name. After the match, he stated that this name was referring to his lawsuit against WWE. The match was his first pro wrestling match since leaving WWE. |
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On [[July 15]], 2006, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that Brock Lesnar had been stripped of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship as he will no longer be returning to defend the title due to "visa issues". A tournament was held on [[July 16]] to determine the new champion, which was won by [[Hiroshi Tanahashi]], the man Lesnar was originally scheduled to face. |
On [[July 15]], 2006, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that Brock Lesnar had been stripped of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship as he will no longer be returning to defend the title due to "visa issues". A tournament was held on [[July 16]] to determine the new champion, which was won by [[Hiroshi Tanahashi]], the man Lesnar was originally scheduled to face. |
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==K-1 Hero's / Mixed Martial Arts |
==K-1 Hero's / Mixed Martial Arts== |
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On [[April 28]], 2006, Brock Lesnar appeared inside the ring after the final match of [[K-1|K-1 Hero's]] Las Vegas and has since signed a deal with the K-1/Hero's. He is currently training with Minnesota Martial Arts Academy under Greg Nelson coach to [[UFC]] Lightweight champion [[Sean Sherk]] and with University of Minnesota Head Assistant wrestling coach Marty Morgan. Brock Lesnar announced on [[12 August]], [[2006]] in Las Vegas that he has joined the K-1 promotion and will have his first [[Mixed martial arts]] match in February [[2007]] |
On [[April 28]], 2006, Brock Lesnar appeared inside the ring after the final match of [[K-1|K-1 Hero's]] Las Vegas and has since signed a deal with the K-1/Hero's. He is currently training with Minnesota Martial Arts Academy under Greg Nelson coach to [[UFC]] Lightweight champion [[Sean Sherk]] and with University of Minnesota Head Assistant wrestling coach Marty Morgan. Brock Lesnar announced on [[12 August]], [[2006]] in Las Vegas that he has joined the K-1 promotion and will have his first [[Mixed martial arts]] match in February [[2007]]. |
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==In wrestling== |
==In wrestling== |
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*'''Finishing and signature moves''' |
*'''Finishing and signature moves''' |
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:*'''''F-5''''' / '''''Verdict''''' ([[Facebuster#F-5|Spinning fireman's carry facebuster]], occasionally using the move to propel an opponent's legs into a ring post) |
:*'''''F-5''''' / '''''Verdict''''' ([[Facebuster#F-5|Spinning fireman's carry facebuster]], occasionally using the move to propel an opponent's legs into a ring post) |
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:*'''''Brock Lock''''' ([[Professional wrestling holds# |
:*'''''Brock Lock''''' ([[Professional wrestling holds#Argentine leglock|Elevated single leg Argentine leglock]]) - 2003-2004 |
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:*[[Professional wrestling attacks#Clothesline|Clothesline]] |
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:*'''[[Shooting star press]]''' in [[OVW]] |
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:*[[Powerslam#Scoop powerslam|Scoop powerslam]] |
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⚫ | |||
:*[[Professional wrestling |
:*[[Professional wrestling throws#Spinebuster|Double leg lift driving slam into the corner turnbuckles]] |
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:*[[Professional wrestling |
:*[[Professional wrestling attacks#Turnbuckle thrust|Repeated turnbuckle thrusts]] |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
:*[[Powerbomb#Multiple powerbombs|Double or triple powerbomb]] |
:*[[Powerbomb#Multiple powerbombs|Double or triple powerbomb]] |
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:*[[Professional wrestling throws#Spinebuster| |
:*[[Professional wrestling throws#Spinebuster|Rolling spinebuster]] |
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:*[[Professional wrestling holds#Side bear hug|Side bearhug]] |
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:*[[Suplex#German suplex|German suplex]] |
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:*[[Suplex# |
:*[[Suplex#German suplex|German suplex]] |
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:*[[Suplex#Fisherman suplex|Delayed high angle single leg hook slam]] - 2003-2004 |
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*'''Managers''' |
*'''Managers''' |
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*'''Nicknames''' |
*'''Nicknames''' |
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:*The Next Big Thing |
:*The Next Big Thing (by Paul Heyman) |
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:*The Pain (as in here comes the pain) |
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:*The Animal |
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:*The Baddest Man on the Planet (by [[Tazz]]) |
:*The Baddest Man on the Planet (by [[Tazz]]) |
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:*The Real Brock Lesnar (during his last heel turn) |
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:*The Greatest WWE Champion in history (self proclaimed) |
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'''Quotes''' |
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*"you're in the wrong place, in the wrong year, with the wrong guy" |
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==Championships and accomplishments== |
==Championships and accomplishments== |
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Lesnar has numerous tattoos, with the most prominent being a stylized skull in the center of his back and a large sword on his chest, which he received following his debut in New Japan. |
Lesnar has numerous tattoos, with the most prominent being a stylized skull in the center of his back and a large sword on his chest, which he received following his debut in New Japan. |
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==Trivia== |
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:*The video game ''[[WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain]]'' is named after Lesnar´s catchphrase "Here Comes The Pain". |
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:*Lesnar broke [[The Rock (entertainer)|The Rock]]'s record of being the youngest [[WWE Champion]] at age 26 when he defeated him at [[Summerslam]] 2002 and became the youngest WWE Champion at age 25. He was later outdone by [[Randy Orton]], who won the [[WWE]]'s [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Championship]] at age 24. Not true realistically because he was the youngest [[WWE Champion]] and Randy is the youngest [[World Heavyweight Champion]] on two different shows. |
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:*Lesnar was famous for lifting the Big Show in a [[Suplex#superplex|superplex]] and when both wrestlers hit the ring after the superplex, it collapsed on impact. [http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/columns/wwe/superplex.html]. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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<div class="references-small"> |
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<references /> |
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</div> |
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*[http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?fighterID=17522 Brock Lesnar stats] |
*[http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?fighterID=17522 Brock Lesnar stats] |
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*[http://www.maxfighting.com/index.cfm?ac=news.detail&nid=1395 Destined for K-1 debut] |
*[http://www.maxfighting.com/index.cfm?ac=news.detail&nid=1395 Destined for K-1 debut] |
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*[http://www.tnawrestlingnews.com/headlines/167617620.shtml Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle MMA match?] |
*[http://www.tnawrestlingnews.com/headlines/167617620.shtml Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle MMA match?] |
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*[http://www.mmaringreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=943&Itemid=43 |
*[http://www.mmaringreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=943&Itemid=43 Royce Gracie ready to build his own Champion] |
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*[http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=2488&zoneid=3 Brock Lesnar Joins K-1] |
*[http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=2488&zoneid=3 Brock Lesnar Joins K-1] |
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Revision as of 23:42, 20 January 2007
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Brock Lesnar | |
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Born | July 12, 1977 Webster, South Dakota |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Brock Lesnar |
Billed height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
Billed weight | 295 lb (134 kg) |
Billed from | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
Trained by | Danny Davis Ohio Valley Wrestling Pat Miletich |
Debut | October 2000 |
Brock Edward Lesnar (born July 12, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He is also a former professional American football player and aspiring mixed martial artist.
Early Career
Before entering professional wrestling, Lesnar wrestled at Webster High School in Webster, South Dakota. Coached by John Schiley, he qualified for the state wrestling tournament several times, but was unable to get first place.
Lesnar later attended the University of Minnesota on a full wrestling scholarship, where his roommate was fellow professional wrestler Shelton Benjamin. Lesnar won the 2000 National Collegiate Athletic Association wrestling championships as a heavyweight after placing second in 1999. Prior to joining the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Lesnar also wrestled at Bismarck State College in Bismarck, North Dakota. Later in 2000, Lesnar joined WWF development, Ohio Valley Wrestling.
World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment
After joining WWF development in 2000, Lesnar formed a tag team known as the Minnesota Stretching Crew (a reference to the Minnesota Wrecking Crew) with his former college roommate, Shelton Benjamin in its Ohio Valley Wrestling territory. Lesnar and Benjamin won the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship on three occasions and together appeared on WWE magazines while still in OVW. Lesnar wrestled several dark matches in 2001 and 2002 before being called up to the main roster.
Main roster (2002-2004)
Lesnar debuted on WWF television on the March 18, 2002 episode of WWF RAW, attacking Al Snow, Maven and Spike Dudley in the course of a match. He was accompanied by Paul Heyman, who referred to Lesnar as "The Next Big Thing". After the World Wrestling Federation was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment, Lesnar was drafted to the RAW brand of WWE.
Lesnar was pushed strongly, interfering in matches, and squashing his opponents to frequently win by knockout.
Lesnar's first feud was with the Hardy Boyz. Lesnar was seen giving Matt Hardy an F-5 on the steel ramp, which left an angered Jeff Hardy wanting revenge on Lesnar. The two squared off at Backlash 2002 in Lesnar's first official televised match. Lesnar would destroy Hardy and win the match by knockout. The next night he faced Matt Hardy, destroying him in the same fasion. At Judgment Day 2002, Lesnar once again gained the upper hand on the Hardy Boyz tag team before tagging his partner, Heyman, in to take the win.
In June 2002, Lesnar won the 2002 King of the Ring tournament. defeating Rob Van Dam in the final round. This victory earned him a shot at the WWE Undisputed Championship at SummerSlam 2002.
On July 22, 2002, Lesnar joined the SmackDown! brand. After an angle with Hulk Hogan, which saw Lesnar hand Hogan his most convincing defeat in history in August 2002, Lesnar began feuding with the Undisputed Champion The Rock.
At the main event of SummerSlam 2002, Lesnar defeated The Rock to become the new and final WWE Undisputed Champion. Lesnar, at age 25, was then the youngest WWE Champion ever (as of 2007, he is still technically the youngest WWE Champion ever, but Randy Orton is the youngest world champion in WWE history, having won the World Heavyweight Championship at 24). Due to the requirements of the WWE Undisputed Championship being defended on both shows, RAW general manager Eric Bischoff expected Lesnar to be able to return on RAW the next night. However, SmackDown! general manager Stephanie McMahon announced that Lesnar's contract required that he would defend the title only on SmackDown!, forcing Bischoff to separate the World Heavyweight Championship from the WWE Championship and in turn making the title lose its "Undisputed" name.
Lesnar's rapid rise to the top of WWE in 2002 led to a match between him and The Undertaker at Unforgiven 2002. It ended in a double disqualification leading to Lesnar retaining the title. The next month, at No Mercy 2002, in what some say is the Thrilla in Manila of wrestling and the match that "made" Brock Lesnar, he faced The Undertaker again, this time in a Hell in a Cell match. Hype leading up to the match (for the WWE Championship) was tremendous and intense as Lesnar with Heyman broke the Undertaker's hand with a propane tank. Despite Heyman begging Stephanie McMahon not to let The Undertaker use his cast as a weapon, the request was denied and the match would go on as planned. It was a brutal match with both wrestlers "donning crimson masks" - their faces covered in thick blood (Undertaker's blood loss was particularly memorable, as he never stopped bleeding after he had bladed). Even Paul Heyman, who was outside of the cage, felt the Undertaker's wrath as Undertaker beat him up through holes in the cage. At a certain point, after Undertaker had taken advantage of his cast, Lesnar gained control and removed the cast, leaving Undertaker's broken hand at his mercy. This would prove to be the turning point of the match. The match ended when Lesnar reversed an attempted Tombstone into his signature F-5 for the win. After the match, Lesnar climbed to the top of the cell and held his title up high for all to see. Sometime during the match Undertaker had grabbed Paul and pulled him back and forward into the cell. In return, Brock got Heyman to take his belt and tie it around the cast of the Undertaker and hold it against the cell while Brock hit the cast numerous times with a chair until Heyman's belt broke. Lesnar succesfully retained his WWE title in a Handicap match with Heyman at the Rebellion 2002 pay-per-view against Edge just six days after his Hell in a Cell match with The Undertaker.
Brock's next opponent was The Big Show. Heyman was convinced more than anyone that Lesnar couldn't win, trying to talk him out of defending the title. Lesnar refused, and went on to lose the championship in Madison Square Garden at the Survivor Series 2002 pay-per-view to The Big Show in under six minutes when, after giving an F-5 to the 500-pounder, he was betrayed by Heyman. This was Lesnar's first pinfall loss in WWE.
Following Survivor Series, Heyman made it clear that Lesnar would not get a rematch, even going so far as to sneak a special clause in his contract. Prior to entering the Royal Rumble on January 19, 2003, Lesnar faced The Big Show in a qualification match where the winner could enter the Rumble and the loser could not. Despite interference from Paul Heyman, Lesnar defeated The Big Show with an F-5. He entered the Rumble as the #29 entrant where he would win by eliminating The Undertaker last.
After winning the 2003 Royal Rumble match in January 2003, Lesnar spent the next two months feuding with Kurt Angle. Angle had Paul Heyman and Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin, Lesnar's former partner, and Charlie Haas) behind him, but Lesnar overcame these opponents. The match between Lesnar and Angle going into WrestleMania XIX proved a historical moment as it marked the first time in WWE history that two accomplished amateur wrestlers (Angle with his Olympic gold medal and two NCAA Heavyweight Championships, Lesnar with his 2000 NCAA Heavyweight Championship) met in a ring. Lesnar regained the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania XIX from Kurt Angle. Toward the end of the match, he botched a shooting star press; despite having landed the move successfully several times in OVW, in this match he overestimated the distance he was capable of jumping for the move and under-rotated, slamming his head into Angle's side and ribcage. This stunned Lesnar and forced Angle to improvise the finish of the match. Lesnar suffered a concussion. Later Lesnar admitted in interviews that this event took away some of his confidence and led to him realizing that he could get seriously hurt in the ring. This realization may have helped his decision to briefly leave professional wrestling and try out for the NFL (particularly the Minnesota Vikings; see the National Football League section).
In August on SmackDown!, Lesnar faced amputee wrestler Zach Gowen in Gowen's hometown. To cement his character's new "mean streak" gimmick, he "broke" Gowen's remaining leg in front of his little brother and mother then adding insult to injury by tiping over the stretcher he was being carried out with and whiping his blood across his chest. This was all an attempt to make Brock a heel to build towards a rematch with Kurt Angle. Despite his newfound aggression, Lesnar lost to Kurt Angle in the rematch at SummerSlam 2003 when Angle made Lesnar tap out to the ankle lock. Angle was the first (of two wrestlers) to gain a submission victory over Lesnar. Chris Benoit was the only other wrestler to make Lesnar tap out at Survivor Series 2003 (this, however, was a tag-team match where no title was on the line). Lesnar faced Benoit 2 weeks later on Smackdown! for the title making him pass out to his new Brock Lock submission hold.
The rematch was an Iron Man Match. Lesnar defeated Angle with five falls to four, making him a 3-time WWE Champion. The match, overall, was considered their best and it won PWI Match of the Year honors for 2003. Angle and Lesnar also won Feud of the Year honors for their war over the WWE Championship and their matches at WrestleMania, Vengeance and SummerSlam, as well as the Iron Man Match on SmackDown!
Lesnar realigned himself with Paul Heyman after Heyman became general manager of Smackdown!, and had a brief feud with Hardcore Holly. In this storyline, Holly wanted revenge on Lesnar for (legitimately) breaking his neck during a previous match between the two in 2002. During that match, Brock went for a powerbomb, but Holly, believed by some to be uncooperative with rookies, supposedly sandbagged mid-lift so that Lesnar couldn't get him all the way up [1]. Holly compounded the difficulty of the move by not lifting up at the waist. During the struggle, Lesnar (intentionally or unintentionally) planted Holly on his head, leaving him in need of neck surgery and out of action for a year. The feud was closed when Lesnar defeated Holly in 6 minutes to retain the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble 2004. In February he faced Eddie Guerrero for the title at No Way Out 2004 in a match where Lesnar kept overpowering Guerrero, until Goldberg interfered and attacked Lesnar, allowing Guerrero to capitalize and get the win for the WWE title. Before losing the WWE Championship to Guerrero, Lesnar had begun a feud with RAW's Goldberg. Lesnar had called Goldberg a "Brock wannabe". A confrontation between the two had been highly anticipated from Brock's debut, due to the similarities in the way the two wrestlers were pushed; Goldberg was regarded as the WCW phenom of 1998, while Lesnar was regarded the WWE phenom of 2002. The feud began at Survivor Series 2003, when both men were champions of their respective brands. Lesnar attacked Goldberg at the Royal Rumble 2004, with Goldberg retailiating at No Way Out in Lesnar's match against Guerrero. This set up an interbrand match for WrestleMania XX between the two.
During the feud with Goldberg, Lesnar also was feuding with RAW's Stone Cold Steve Austin (who was shown suggesting to Goldberg that he attack Lesnar at No Way Out). When Lesnar attacked Austin on Raw and stole his four-wheeler, Austin was inserted as the Special Guest Referee for the WrestleMania match. Behind the scenes, it was widely known that the match would be Goldberg's last in WWE, however only a week before WrestleMania, rumours surfaced Lesnar too was leaving, in order to pursue a career in the NFL. As a result, the fans at Madison Square Garden jeered both wrestlers with very loud and distinct chants of "na na, hey hey" and "you sold out." Neither man was thought to have given his best effort in the match in what was supposed to be a clash of titans, and crowd support was mostly given to special referee Austin. Many critics and fans even go as far as to say this was one of the worst WrestleMania matches ever despite neither men not doing any mistakes during the match. Lesnar was said to be particularly shaken by this reaction and gave the finger to both the crowd and Austin after the match. Because both men were leaving WWE, it was clear that the only man who would go over in the match would be Austin. Although Goldberg won the match, both men were given a Stone Cold Stunner by Austin on their way out.
National Football League
After his final match at WrestleMania XX, Lesnar sidelined his career in WWE to pursue a career in the National Football League. This move upset many people, as WWE had invested heavily in Lesnar. In a interview about him starting with the NFL he stated that "..."This is no load of bull, It’s no WWE stunt. I am dead serious about this... I ain’t afraid of anything, and I ain’t afraid of anybody. I’ve been an underdog in athletics since I was 5. I got zero college offers for wrestling. Now people say I can’t play football, that it’s a joke. I say I can. I’m as good an athlete as a lot of guys in the NFL, if not better... I’ve always had to fight for everything. I wasn’t the best technician in amateur wrestling. But I was strong, had great conditioning, and a hard head. Nobody could break me. As long as I have that, I don’t give a damn what anybody else thinks. After playing in a few pre-season games for the Minnesota Vikings, Lesnar was eventually cut from the team after not showing up for practices due to a injury sustained by a motorcycle ride during the summer of 2004. He declined to accept an invitation to play as a representative of the Vikings in NFL Europe. He made no attempts to sign with an AFL or CFL team. Lesnar is listed as a free agent in Madden NFL 2005. There was a producer-made model of Lesnar in Madden NFL 2005. Despite the name, the model looked almost nothing like the real Lesnar.
Lawsuit with WWE
Lesnar had previously signed a no-compete clause in order to be released from his contract with WWE, which prohibited him from working for any other sports entertainment or mixed martial arts companies before 2010. Lesnar had anticipated leaving wrestling entirely, but his inability to secure a career in professional football led to him challenging this ruling in court. WWE responded by demanding damages as a result of Lesnar allegedly breaching the agreement by appearing at a New Japan Pro Wrestling show in 2004. In July 2005, the two sides dropped their claims and entered negotiations to renew their relationship. Recently, WWE had offered Brock a contract, but on August 2, 2005, WWE's official website reported that Lesnar has withdrawn from any involvement with the company.
The lawsuit was entered into settlement on September 21, 2005, but talks broke down.
On January 14, 2006, Judge Christopher Droney stated that unless WWE gave him a good argument between then and January 25, 2006, he would rule in favor of Brock Lesnar, giving him a summary judgment. This would have enabled Lesnar to work anywhere he wanted immediately. WWE was later granted a deadline postponement. WWE reportedly doesn't want to settle out of court with Lesnar, and didn't want to take any actions that might be seen as "backing down".
On April 25, 2006, World Wrestling Entertainment announced on their official website WWE.com, "WWE and Lesnar have mutually come to a settlement and have decided, due to its confidentiallty, not to discuss the details of the case."
On June 12, 2006, A federal judge dismissed Lesnar's lawsuit against WWE after both parties requested for the case to be dismissed.
New Japan Pro Wrestling
On October 8, 2005, Lesnar won the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in a three-way match at a New Japan Pro Wrestling show in the Tokyo Dome, which included the then-champion Kazuyuki Fujita and Masahiro Chono. He won the match by pinning Masahiro Chono after an F-5, which he had renamed the Verdict, since WWE owns the trademark on the F-5 name. After the match, he stated that this name was referring to his lawsuit against WWE. The match was his first pro wrestling match since leaving WWE.
On December 6, 2005 WWE filed a motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent Lesnar from continuing to work with NJPW, but the court did not grant it, and thus Lesnar had two non-title victories against Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata. Lesnar successfully defended his championship on January 4, 2006 against former champion Shinsuke Nakamura.
On January 13, 2006. WWE once again filed an injunction against Lesnar to stop him from defending the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on March 19, but evidently this was not enforced (nor granted), as he would go on to have both a tag team match with Shinsuke Nakamura against Akebono and Riki Chōshū on February 19, 2006 which was won after a Verdict to Chōshū.
On March 19, 2006, Brock Lesnar retained his championship, defeating Akebono with a DDT and not a Verdict since the referee prevented him after Akebono had been really tired after wrestling Brock for 10 minutes, but while the referee was down on the mat he hit the former Sumo wrestler with the IWGP belt.
Lesnar successfully defended his title against the winner of the New Japan Cup, Giant Bernard, on May 3, 2006 in Fukuoka in a physical match. This was the first American vs American title match in NJPW since Vader vs Stan Hansen in 1990.
On July 15, 2006, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that Brock Lesnar had been stripped of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship as he will no longer be returning to defend the title due to "visa issues". A tournament was held on July 16 to determine the new champion, which was won by Hiroshi Tanahashi, the man Lesnar was originally scheduled to face.
K-1 Hero's / Mixed Martial Arts
On April 28, 2006, Brock Lesnar appeared inside the ring after the final match of K-1 Hero's Las Vegas and has since signed a deal with the K-1/Hero's. He is currently training with Minnesota Martial Arts Academy under Greg Nelson coach to UFC Lightweight champion Sean Sherk and with University of Minnesota Head Assistant wrestling coach Marty Morgan. Brock Lesnar announced on 12 August, 2006 in Las Vegas that he has joined the K-1 promotion and will have his first Mixed martial arts match in February 2007.
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- F-5 / Verdict (Spinning fireman's carry facebuster, occasionally using the move to propel an opponent's legs into a ring post)
- Brock Lock (Elevated single leg Argentine leglock) - 2003-2004
- Clothesline
- Scoop powerslam
- Double leg lift driving slam into the corner turnbuckles
- Repeated turnbuckle thrusts
- Overhead belly to belly suplex
- Double or triple rib breaker
- Double or triple powerbomb
- Rolling spinebuster
- Side bearhug
- German suplex
- Delayed high angle single leg hook slam - 2003-2004
- Managers
- Nicknames
- The Next Big Thing (by Paul Heyman)
- The Pain (as in here comes the pain)
- The Baddest Man on the Planet (by Tazz)
- The Real Brock Lesnar (during his last heel turn)
- The Greatest WWE Champion in history (self proclaimed)
Quotes
- "you're in the wrong place, in the wrong year, with the wrong guy"
Championships and accomplishments
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Shelton Benjamin
- 2002 Most Improved Wrestler
- 2002 Wrestler of the Year
- 2003 Feud of the Year (versus Kurt Angle)
- 2003 Match of the Year (versus Kurt Angle; a 60-minute Iron Man match on WWE SmackDown!)
- PWI ranked him #1 in the 2003 PWI 500
- WWE Championship (3 times)
- 2002 King of the Ring Winner
- 2003 Royal Rumble Winner
- 2002 Most Improved Wrestler
- 2003 Feud of the Year (vs. Kurt Angle)
- 2003 Most Improved Wrestler
- 2003 Best Brawler
Personal life
Lesnar has one daughter, Mya Lynn who was born on April 10,2002, with his ex-fiancée, Nicole. He left Nicole in 2003 to begin a relationship with Rena "Sable" Mero. Lesnar and Mero were engaged in 2004, separated in 2005, then reconciled later that year and married on May 6 2006. Lesnar has 1 step-child with Mero: Mariah, a step-daughter born to Mero and her late husband, Wayne Richardson. They divorced later in August.
Lesnar has numerous tattoos, with the most prominent being a stylized skull in the center of his back and a large sword on his chest, which he received following his debut in New Japan.
References
- Brock Lesnar stats
- Destined for K-1 debut
- Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle MMA match?
- Royce Gracie ready to build his own Champion
- Brock Lesnar Joins K-1