Brock Lesnar shocked the world when he was booked for a one night only return to the UFC on July 9. The Beast Incarnate has been a WWE Superstar since his return back in 2012, as the world of MMA pressed on without him. But that’s all coming to an end soon.
Though his UFC opponent has already been named as Mark Hunt, the fact is, his SummerSlam opponent is still a mystery. If there have been any conversations between Lesnar and WWE concerning who could get the nod, no one’s talking. But right now, the options are few.
The biggest reason for this, of course, is his booking. Lesnar has been portrayed as the unstoppable monster, a war machine that keeps fighting despite who the opponent is. He fears no one, and he feels no pain. He’s practically immortal at this point.
So how does WWE book a viable opponent under these circumstances? How does the company convince anyone that Lesnar has a weakness, and could actually lose a match? It could very well be that it’s an impossible task now. But there are three men who may fit the bill and give fans their money’s worth in the process.
#1 Randy Orton
Randy Orton is the one Superstar that many fans feel could really give Brock a great showing in the ring. Though he’s been described as a mechanical worker in the past, the fact is that Orton’s systematic style of working may just be what’s needed to pace a match against The Beast.
Brock works slowly and methodically; he never gets in a hurry despite who he works with. He can speed up if necessary, but he’s never really needed to. Guys work his pace because to work any differently takes the control out of his hands.
Orton can work a match exactly like Brock in terms of pace, but in terms of character, Randy is much more sinister. Where Lesnar uses athleticism and raw power, Orton uses devious tactics and precise attacks to gain the advantage in a match. Randy versus Brock is an intriguing prospect because it’s new, and because neither man would have anything to lose in this one.
#2 Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura is another top choice to face The Beast. Nakamura is very physical in the ring, and can hang with anyone between the ropes. Nakamura standing nose to nose with Brock in the middle of the ring would be a sight that would surely elicit a massive crowd response.
Both men would also surely deliver a great match as well.
Nakamura would not be intimidated by Brock, and that is important. Without an arsenal of weapons at his disposal, Dean Ambrose would not have lasted five minutes with The Beast. He even admitted on Raw that he didn’t want to fight him.
Even The Undertaker himself had to cheat to win against Lesnar, which means that from young to old, mid-card rockstar to main event legend, Brock has the upper hand over everyone.
But Nakamura is in his own world. He’s so charismatic, and it’s that charisma that sets him apart from everyone in NXT. It’s his character that sets him apart from everyone in the industry. Simply put, Nakamura rises above the norm.
Whether he faces an established talent or the new guy on the roster, Nakamura approaches each match with the same gesture-laden eccentricity he’s always had. Nakamura gets in the zone, and it’s evident every time he works a match.
#3 Samoa Joe
Perhaps the best talent to face Lesnar is also sitting in the NXT locker room. Samoa Joe has the best elements of both Orton and Nakamura rolled into one. He’s precise in his offense and as coldhearted as anyone Brock’s ever faced.
He also has a wild confidence that gives him a powerful swagger. He’s tough, he’s resilient, and he has the best chance of anyone when it comes to believably standing up to Brock. Joe can take a beating and get right back up. Even if everyone in a live Monday Night Raw crowd has no idea who Joe is, WWE would still not find it difficult to convince them they should cheer for him.
Joe can make it look good by not only going to war against Brock, but also believably beating him. He is arguably the perfect choice for the job, and if WWE decides to go this route, then Joe would surely give Brock the match of his life.
But no matter who steps up against Lesnar, the truth is WWE has indeed painted itself into a corner here.
Brock’s booking dictates that he wins every time. But common sense says he must lose eventually, because no one can be elevated as a result of Brock’s domination.
However if WWE really wanted a worthy challenger for Lesnar, maybe some time could have been spent building up more than just two to five guys; especially when those guys can’t touch Brock’s level.
Then again, no one is on Brock’s level, which is also part of the problem. Lesnar is WWE’s cash cow, but that cow is running out of places to graze. So all that considered, maybe his UFC adventure will last longer than one match after all.
Tom Clark can regularly be found on Sportskeeda. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here
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