The conclusion of the Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley feud — a rivalry that really should have culminated at WrestleMania 39 — was underwhelming, to say the least.
But you know what’s most disappointing? The direction WWE is going with the two superstars in wake of their Elimination Chamber blowoff match, which ended with Lashley winning via disqualification.
It now appears Lashley will face Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 39 — Wyatt called out the winner of the Lesnar vs. Lashley match the night before it went down at Bell Centre in Montreal — and Lesnar will go toe to toe with… Omos?
Yup, in a showdown out of left field, Omos challenged Lesnar during a recent episode of “RAW.” And The Beast Incarnate, of course, accepted, setting the stage for a ‘Mania match that very few WWE fans are excited about, if social media is any indication.
So, why did Paul Levesque (aka Triple H) choose this path as WWE’s head of creative? Well, two possible reasons stand out as far as explaining trying to explain the nonsensical decision.
1. Vince McMahon is back to being involved in WWE’s booking
Speculation has been floating around ever since McMahon returned as WWE’s executive chairman back in January, and multiple reports have only added to the rumors. WrestleVotes tweeted this week that the Lesnar vs. Omos match “was the idea of one specific, powerful person who pushed it through,” along with a GIF of McMahon. And sources close to Lesnar told Fightful Select it “could be true” that McMahon pushed for the match. All told, it seems like something that would be right up McMahon’s alley.
2. Brock Lesnar turned down a match with Bray Wyatt
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select and Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter both reported this scenario in recent days, though it’s unclear why exactly Lesnar nixed the idea of working with Wyatt.
Perhaps it has something to do with Wyatt’s mysterious character — which has been all over the place since his return in October — rather than some personal issue. Whatever the case, Lesnar putting his foot down means finding a new opponent, with Wyatt instead facing Lashley following the DQ finish at Elimination Chamber. Omos might’ve simply been Plan C — because, according to Meltzer, Lesnar vs. Wyatt wasn’t Plan A.
“Originally, what was going to happen was Brock was beating Bobby Lashley at Elimination Chamber and that was going to lead to Brock against Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania, and that’s why Bray Wyatt did that interview, but after they did that, they had to change the finish,” Meltzer said, per Wrestling Observer Radio. “That’s why we ended up with Lesnar and Omos. Remember I said that this has just changed, and it changed from Wyatt, but Wyatt had also been the change. So, I don’t know who the original one was, but it was not Gunther, I know that. So, they had two changes in that one in the last few weeks.”
Sounds like a ton of confusion. And WWE fans ultimately are the ones suffering. Neither Lesnar vs. Omos nor Lashley vs. Wyatt has a big-match aura, largely because both feuds feel extremely rushed.
There simply isn’t much time to build a compelling backstory — WrestleMania 39 is scheduled for April 1 and April 2 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. — and thus we’re left with a couple of thrown-together angles involving what, in theory, should be a few of WWE’s biggest stars.
This doesn’t mean the overall WrestleMania card is ruined, by any means. But Lesnar is a proven draw who moves the needle. Facing Omos is a total waste, especially with the WWE Universe clamoring for a match between him and Gunther, the reigning Intercontinental Champion.
