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Just as predicted, Bobby Lashley squashed The Miz on RAW to become the new WWE Champion. As it turns out, The Miz's Money in the Bank cash-in and WWE Championship reign was only meant to be a transitional one, as he held it for eight days before losing it to Lashley.
Bobby Lashley has become WWE Champion for the first time in his career, and he has MVP to thank for it. Given his career trajectory pre-WrestleMania 36, it would have been hard to imagine him being in this position. But ever since Lashley aligned himself with MVP and formed The Hurt Business, there has been no stopping The All-Mighty.
WWE has taken their chances in the 2020-21 pandemic era, and Bobby Lashley has been one of the most pushed Superstars in the company since then.
With only eight days between his United States and WWE title reign, there could either be a lot lying ahead for Lashley, or it could be a transitional reign. Either way, here are the best opponents Bobby Lashley can face as the WWE Champion;
#5. Braun Strowman - A perfect foil for Bobby Lashley
Braun Strowman quietly moved to RAW last year once he was completely done with the Universal Championship picture. His reign as Universal Champion was purely circumstantial, but he held it from WrestleMania until SummerSlam.
While Bobby Lashley has enjoyed more success since then, their paths could cross again. We're aware that Braun Strowman seems set to face Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 37, but if Lashley walks out of the PPV still the WWE Champion, then Strowman would make a good first opponent post-PPV.
Of course, it would also mean that Braun Strowman would have to take the fall for Bobby Lashley - going back to his usual spot of being a stepping stone for other Superstars.
#4. AJ Styles - A perfect opponent for Bobby Lashley and the WWE Title
As of this writing, AJ Styles has no match for WrestleMania, while Bobby Lashley will likely be in one of the main events. It's odd to see AJ Styles in this position, especially since he always has a big WrestleMania match, with his opponents so far being Chris Jericho, Shane McMahon, Shinsuke Nakamura Randy Orton, and finally - The Undertaker.
He won't be in that big a spot at WrestleMania 37 if he is on the card, but he could be saved for after. Just like Braun Strowman, AJ Styles would be the perfect post-WrestleMania challenger for Bobby Lashley if the latter retains the title.
As we've seen with AJ Styles, he can be a WWE title challenger anytime and anywhere - giving the best match possible. Beating somebody like AJ Styles can help elevate Bobby Lashley since The Phenomenal One knows how to get the best out of almost every opponent he faces.
#3. Drew McIntyre - Is a WrestleMania match against Bobby Lashley in the works?
Drew McIntyre faced and defeated Bobby Lashley in a fun WWE Championship match at Backlash 2020. Lashley was McIntyre's second opponent in The Scottish Warrior's first reign as WWE Champion, and The All-Mighty fell short in a good match that lasted shy of 15 minutes.
Since then, Bobby Lashley has been groomed carefully for the WWE Championship picture. WWE made sure that in February 2021, he was ready to be in that spot. However, there's no questioning who the best WWE Superstar since January 2020 has been - only Drew McIntyre.
While we thought that Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus could potentially be a WrestleMania program, WWE gave it to us for free on RAW - indicating that it isn't the direction for the Scotsman.
Drew McIntyre could bounce back to become Bobby Lashley's WrestleMania 37 opponent. McIntyre vs. Lashley wouldn't be the WrestleMania main event that we expected, but that looks like it could be the direction. If that is the case, then Bobby Lashley's reign might only be a transitional one, with rumors that WWE wants to have McIntyre coronated again in front of a crowd.
#2. Goldberg - An unlikely Bobby Lashley opponent
Admittedly, Goldberg is the least-likeliest opponent for Bobby Lashley on the list. The reason we say this is that Goldberg doesn't return post-WrestleMania - he either returns for WrestleMania season, a Saudi Arabia show, and he had a SummerSlam appearance against Dolph Ziggler in 2019 as well.
Goldberg's last appearance was at the 2021 Royal Rumble, where he lost clean to Drew McIntyre. It was a good match that served its purpose, but we're not sure if the same result would happen if Bobby Lashley is the WWE Champion.
Either way, it all depends on how long Bobby Lashley's reign as the WWE Champion is. However, it is an interesting match-up stylistically. Since both Bobby Lashley and Goldberg are strong, physical Superstars, we could see a short-but-explosive bout happening and delivering - similar to Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 33.
That was the art of a short match done perfectly, and this could be similar. It would also be a dream match that we would have never imagined seeing.
#1. Brock Lesnar - The dream opponent that Bobby Lashley must face
Bobby Lashley has been vocal about his desire to face Brock Lesnar for a long time now. He told Sportskeeda in 2019 that the only reason he returned to WWE the previous year was to face Brock Lesnar. Confused about why he has been doing everything "around" it, he seemed clueless.
Speaking to TV Insider last year, Bobby Lashley joked that they would face when they're both 60 years old, but he still wants the match:
“Hopefully, the stars align for both of us. Maybe it will happen when we are 60. I’ll tell you every day I post a picture of anything on social media, people will say they want me and Brock. We have to give it to him.”
It's a match that WWE owes Bobby Lashley. That's a strong statement to make, but he has done enough to earn the opportunity to face Brock Lesnar. While we hope that Brock Lesnar returns for WrestleMania 37, it's unclear since The Beast Incarnate's contract had expired in the summer of 2020. If any deal has been signed, no knowledge has come of it.
But this is the most important and career-defining match that Bobby Lashley can have now that he is the WWE Champion.
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