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Brock Lesnar is back in WWE after nearly a year-and-a-half away. He returned at SummerSlam 2021 after Roman Reigns defeated John Cena in the main event. Although his run isn't set to begin right away, he is reportedly contracted until some point in 2023, with a guaranteed 8 matches at the least.
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The contract is also reportedly up for negotiations, which means we could see Brock Lesnar wrestle more than 8 times between now and 2023. Brock Lesnar knows how to negotiate the best deal for himself, which is why even UFC President Dana White said that Vince McMahon "threw the vault" at The Beast Incarnate to lure him away from an MMA return.
But should AEW have made a contract offer to Brock Lesnar while he was still a free agent? The signing of CM Punk and expected debut of Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson seems to have partially made up for that.
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This article looks at both sides of why AEW should and shouldn't have offered Brock Lesnar a contract during his free agency period.
#3. Should have offered a contract: Brock Lesnar would be the biggest signing in AEW history
This isn't meant to be any disrespect towards the likes of Sting, CM Punk, or even Daniel Bryan. The reality is that as big and popular as the mentioned names are, none of them are nearly as famous and marketable as Brock Lesnar.
Brock Lesnar managed to reach megastardom while outside the WWE umbrella. While Brock Lesnar's 2002-2004 run in WWE shot him to instant worldwide superstardom, it was his success in the UFC that made him the biggest box office draw in MMA up to that point - until Conor McGregor replaced him years later.
There is no doubt that Brock Lesnar would have been the biggest signing in AEW history. It would be a big change in approach and it would send a message to the AEW locker room.
There is no superstar bigger than Brock Lesnar that AEW could have signed in that period. Naturally, CM Punk's return generated a lot of buzz, but in the long run, Brock Lesnar would continue to prove his overall popularity.
#2. Shouldn't have offered a contract: AEW doesn't need Brock Lesnar to grow
AEW never needed to sign Brock Lesnar. Although AEW has received a lot of flak for signing released and departed WWE talent, they've done well to develop some of their homegrown stars.
Darby Allin, CM Punk's first AEW opponent, is perhaps the best example of the company developing homegrown talent. While solely focusing on homegrown talent isn't good, neither is constantly signing superstars from WWE.
There has to be a balance in between, and so far, AEW seems to be doing ok with that. When looking at the women's division, there isn't a big presence of former WWE stars, with Tay Conti being one of the main exceptions.
AEW has never needed Brock Lesnar and they don't need him to grow. One could argue that by signing Brock Lesnar, AEW is simply doing everything they can to one-up WWE.
But would Brock Lesnar be integral to AEW programming? How would he fit in when they have a roster of full-time superstars doing well enough by themselves?
#2. Should have offered: Brock Lesnar would have been huge for TV ratings and marketability
With Brock Lesnar, it's all about playing the long game. Brock Lesnar, even if he signed with AEW, may not have been their key star in the long run. That makes a lot of sense, but it's important to utilize Brock Lesnar as much as possible while he's around.
Brock Lesnar can be a legitimate ratings draw and valuable to AEW's marketability in the long run. He could attract viewers that become long-term fans even when he's gone.
It's like a big sports team having a major star. Even if he/she doesn't fit into their system or style of play, their value goes beyond what they offer on the pitch. Marketability is key.
When AEW has Brock Lesnar on their posters and in the forefront, it would automatically lead to more negotiation power in terms of sponsorship deals, tie-ups, and most importantly - broadcasting rights.
Broadcasting rights revenue has been WWE's gold mine in the last decade and for AEW, having Brock Lesnar would have strengthened their brand significantly.
#1. Shouldn't have offered a contract: Would Brock Lesnar truly be a value-for-money investment?
It's a bit tricky to finance a move for Brock Lesnar to AEW. Although Tony Khan isn't exactly short of cash, he still has to think of the long-term finances of his business. There is an "upper-tier" crop of talent in AEW including Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, among others, who earn in the millions.
Brock Lesnar will demand a salary well over that. There's a lot to take into consideration when offering Brock Lesnar a lucrative contract. Sure, there is a big chance that it can help boost AEW's ratings and marketability, but what if it doesn't?
Signing Brock Lesnar is a huge gamble for AEW. They can only spend as much as they're willing to lose. Admittedly, the reward can be a lot sweeter, but there were a few years in between where Brock Lesnar wasn't a big difference-maker to the ratings.
He was the most active part-timer on the WWE roster, so perhaps his aura wore down. When looking at Goldberg's 2016 return for instance, it was an instant difference-maker as he wasn't seen on WWE TV for 12-and-a-half years.
#1. Should have offered: Brock Lesnar's signing would be a big message to WWE
It would have been interesting to hear the backstage reaction in WWE if AEW secured Brock Lesnar's signature. While WWE President Nick Khan stated that they only look forward and not sideways, it's hard to deny that AEW is marking waves within WWE as well.
For talent, it's always good to see competition rising as it provides more employment opportunities in the future. AEW's first hurdle was to beat NXT in the so-called "Wednesday Night Wars".
Nobody values Brock Lesnar more than Vince McMahon does, and it would undoubtedly have been devastating for him to lose out on Brock Lesnar to what he might perceive as a lower competitor.
It would have ripple effects within WWE, far more than people realize. For all we know, it might even be what wakes WWE up and makes them take a different approach creatively.
When WWE is driven by competition to write better stories, it's a win-win situation for wrestling fans. Not many superstars in wrestling can have that impact, but Brock Lesnar certainly does.
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