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Brock Lesnar returned to RAW last night, destroying WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley. Seth Rollins then defeated Lashley in a title match.
It seems that WWE is building towards a clash of epic proportions between Bobby Lashley and The Beast Incarnate, possibly at Crown Jewel.
Brock Lesnar's last match on WWE RAW came way back in 2002. Brock Lesnar faced Tommy Dreamer on the night and made short work of the Hardcore legend. Several notable events have taken place in the promotion since then.
Let's take a look at some of the most significant events that have happened in WWE since Brock Lesnar last wrestled a match on RAW.
#7. The birth of NXT and the establishment of the WWE Performance Center
WWE's first Performance Center opened in Orlando, Florida, in 2013. Orlando is also the home of NXT, with the show being taped from nearby Full Sail University.
NXT was established as WWE's developmental brand in 2012. In its first installment in 2010, the developmental brand started as a 'game show' before WWE rebranded it as their new developmental territory. Over the years, NXT and the Performance Center have helped some potential stars transition to the main roster for RAW or SmackDown.
NXT has produced several top stars, including Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, and Bianca Belair.
#6. The first all-women's pay-per-view
Since Brock Lesnar's last match on RAW, WWE has held their first all-women's pay-per-view in 2018.
WWE Evolution is the first and only all-women's show in WWE history. It was headlined by Ronda Rousey, who defended the RAW Women's Championship against Nikki Bella. Rousey made short work of the former Divas' Champion, forcing her to tap out to the arm bar.
Other notable matches included Becky Lynch defeating Charlotte Flair, and Rhea Ripley defeating Dakota Kai.
#5. The WWE Network was established
WWE launched their own streaming service, the WWE Network, in February 2014. Although there were some technical issues when the service began, fans praised it for its vast library of content and the overall value of the package.
WWE also stepped back from the traditional pay-per-view and offered their premium events live on the WWE Network as part of a monthly subscription. The service had over 1.5 million subscribers as of 2020.
Currently, the WWE Network is available via Peacock in the United States and is only available in specific international markets.
#4. John Cena equals Ric Flair's record of 16 world titles
John Cena has broken several records since Brock Lesnar's last match on WWE RAW, but the biggest came in early 2017.
At Royal Rumble, John Cena challenged WWE Champion AJ Styles in one of the biggest matches of his career. This wasn't any other title match for Cena, as history was there to be made. The Cenation Leader pinned Styles to win a historic 16th world title, thereby equalling Ric Flair's record.
The emotion was clear on the legend's face as referee Charles Robinson raised his hand after the match.
#3. Cody Rhodes leaves WWE and becomes one of the founders of AEW; then returns to his old stomping grounds
Rhodes left WWE in 2016, frustrated with the direction in which his character was moving. Since leaving the company, he appeared in several promotions, including IMPACT and the NWA. He then made his way to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, joining the Bullet Club.
In 2019, Cody Rhodes, along with The Elite, left Bullet Club and New Japan Pro-Wrestling to become founding members and Executive Vice Presidents of Tony Khan's All Elite Wrestling.
The American Nightmare had a successful run in AEW, winning three TNT Titles. However, he ended up leaving the promotion earlier this year and returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38 to face Seth Rollins.
Rhodes is currently out with an injury but is expected to return early next year.
#2. The streak ends at the hands of Brock Lesnar
In the time since Brock Lesnar wrestled for the last time on WWE RAW, the Beast Incarnate has had some incredible achievements in his career, including winning the UFC Championship.
As far as wrestling goes, Lesnar's biggest accomplishment has to arguably be WrestleMania 30, where The Beast Incarnate pinned The Undertaker to end the latter's legendary streak.
As Paul Heyman put it, Lesnar made history by becoming one in the Undertaker's 21-1 record at WrestleMania. Since losing to Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker has picked up one more loss at The Show of Shows, at the hands of Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33.
The Undertaker's record at The Showcase of Immortals now stands at 23-2.
#1. Vince McMahon retires
Since Brock Lesnar's last match on RAW in 2002, Vince McMahon has retired after being forced to step away amidst a wave of allegations.
Earlier this year, a report from the Wall Street Journal revealed that Vince McMahon was being investigated for paying "hush money" to former female employees. He stepped away from his role as CEO, with Stephanie McMahon taking over.
On July 23, 2022, Vince McMahon announced his retirement on Twitter, leaving the wrestling world in shock. Triple H stepped in to take over as Head of Creative and is currently the Chief Content Officer.
What did you make of Lesnar's return on the latest episode of RAW? Let us know in the comments section below.
