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Expectations were high when Bobby Lashley returned to WWE for the first time in 11 years on the Raw after WrestleMania 34 last month.
Since then, however, the two-time ECW champion is yet to make much of an impact on the red brand and, as we saw in last week’s segment with his ‘sisters’, he continues to be used questionably from a booking perspective.
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In this article, let’s take a look at five reasons why his second WWE run has been largely underwhelming so far.
#5 He still hasn’t competed in a singles match
Since returning to WWE on 9 April, Bobby Lashley has competed in a 5-on-5 match, a 3-on-3 match, two 2-on-2 matches, a 50-man Royal Rumble and a Triple Threat match – and not a single one-on-one match.
For the fans who were unfamiliar with the MMA star before he made his return, they'd be forgiven for thinking he is just another member of the roster who has been brought in to make up the numbers.
Over on SmackDown Live, we’ve seen recently how Andrade “Cien” Almas is slowly being introduced to the audience with emphatic victories over local talents – something that would have been perfect for Lashley’s destructive character.
#4 WWE hasn’t told us why he’s back
Even the most casual wrestling fan will be somewhat intrigued as to why Bobby Lashley has decided to swap mixed martial arts to compete for WWE again on a full-time basis.
Is he back to win the Universal Championship? Does he want to face fellow MMA star Brock Lesnar? Does he have unfinished business from his last WWE run? Why did he target Elias on his return?
The story of Lashley’s comeback to WWE hasn’t been told yet (a vague “back to dominate” t-shirt doesn’t count!), so it’s difficult for fans to support him as a babyface until they know what his motivations are for returning.
#3 Fans don’t care about his sisters!
Depending what you perceive as entertainment, the segment on last week’s Raw with Bobby Lashley’s ‘sisters’ was either one of the worst segments in the show’s history or, for those giving it the benefit of a doubt, it was so bad it was good.
Either way, it was definitely bad, and it’s baffling to think that WWE brought a star like Lashley back to the company and the only notable thing he’s done during his first six weeks on television is attack three men dressed as women.
WWE’s decision-makers only needed to hear the crowd reaction – or, rather, the lack of reaction – to realise that fans couldn’t care less about Lashley’s sisters!
#2 He was overshadowed by Braun Strowman
The unlikely duo of Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman joined forces to defeat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on Raw in April and at the Backlash PPV earlier in May.
“The Dominator” showed off his impressive stalling suplex manoeuvre on both occasions but, judging from the crowd reaction during the matches, it was Strowman who the fans really wanted to see compete – not Lashley.
The brief alliance seemed very false – the two men barely interacted with each other – and the second tag match at Backlash hardly had any storyline behind it and felt like it didn’t belong on a PPV.
#1 He was touted as an opponent for Brock Lesnar
The most underwhelming thing about Bobby Lashley’s return, through no fault of his own, is that he was heavily rumoured to be returning to WWE as a possible opponent for Brock Lesnar.
The new Raw Superstar told Main Event Radio in November 2017 that, whether it’s in fighting or in wrestling, it would be “stupid” for the showdown not to happen at some point, while several reports earlier in 2018 suggested that WWE could build towards having the match at SummerSlam.
That might still happen, of course, but Lashley’s early booking since his return doesn’t suggest that he will be at the top of the card challenging the Universal champion any time soon.
How do you think WWE should book Bolly Lashley in the upcoming weeks? Sound off in the comments section below. You can also send us news tips at [email protected].
