Professional Wrestling

Brock Lesnar's pro wrestling comeback nearly came a lot sooner—except it wasn't going to be back in WWE.

Kurt Angle revealed Lesnar wanted to join TNA in 2007, but the company balked at paying him like a top star.

"OK, Brock calls me. He is not in the WWE. He says, 'Listen, man. Can you get me in TNA?'" Angle said on his podcast. "I probably shouldn't even be saying this now. But you know what? Brock doesn't care. He said, 'Hey, what are you making?' And I said what I was making. He said, 'If you can get me that, I'll come.' I approached TNA, and they said, 'No, we're not going to give him that kind of money.'"

Talk about a missed opportunity.

Lesnar is the type of groundbreaking talent who could have taken TNA into the next stratosphere—all while acting as a major coup against WWE. This was before Lesnar's UFC four-year run, so his cache wasn't quite as high, but he was an absolutely in-his-prime generational athlete.

Lesnar was coming off a run in New Japan Pro-Wrestling that ended when Angle tapped him out for the IWGP championship. It would have been nothing short of a home run to add Lesnar to the TNA roster and resume that program on American soil.

Keeping in mind that TNA later paid the likes of Hulk Hogan, Mick Foley and several other well-past-their-prime stars top dollar, so rejecting Lesnar looks like an even more egregious mistake.

Stories of TNA's mismanagement have long been a part of wrestling lore, so fumbling the Lesnar situation should come as no surprise. That said, it's an interesting never-before-heard story of a massive missed opportunity.

Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012 and remains one of the company's top draws.

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It goes without saying that 2022 has been a landmark, if not historical turning point for WWE.

The highlight was of course Triple H replacing Vince McMahon as the head of creative. But a much bigger point is the company's sudden willingness to modernize by seemingly going all-in on long-term storytelling.

Does this happen without the change to the creative lead? Maybe, but few pro wrestling onlookers would have been brave enough to predict this would unfold quite like this.

Not too long ago it was AEW as the industry standard for trusting fans with long-term stories. It was, without a doubt, one of the big reasons for the company's fast rise and predictable ability to compete directly with WWE at all.

Yet the script has flipped in dramatic fashion. The most prominent example is Roman Reigns and the Bloodline. It has had its hiccups (endless Brock Lesnar matches) and was at risk of going stale if not for one special talent by the name of Sami Zayn. But by and large, the risk of putting both men's top titles on Reigns has paid off and will continue to do so, provided the company doesn't revert to its old ways by ignoring fans (Zayn or Jey Uso) and going back to part-timers suddenly (you know who).

While the Reigns saga is the biggest example, that might have unfolded anyway. Other good examples include everything around the orbit of Judgement Day. Austin Theory's budding character development from a cocky heel who risks it all to something much bigger could end up being a splendid saga that solidifies a new main-event star for a decade-plus.

And don't forget Bray Wyatt and the White Rabbit gimmick. In old WWE, Wyatt saw his Fiend persona thrown into championship matches that made no storyline or character sense because he got the biggest reactions. The whole thing flopped, to say the very least.

New Wyatt got a long, long buildup to one of the best returns in modern pro wrestling history. Now he's had two-plus months of character-developing promos without a match in sight. It might bore some, but even the detractors who want to see more will be as invested as it gets once the feuds and matches start to flow.

There are other minor ones worth mentioning too. Becky Lynch's character and her feuds can and should resume in interesting ways. Ronda Rousey continues to see some interesting long-term character shifts. Old allegiances like Zayn-Kevin Owens and even ties as far back as NXT keep getting the spotlight.

For just a moment, contrast this with AEW and its current growing pains. The promotion gave fans the epic, nearly unheard of two-year saga of Adam "Hangman" Page and all that came with it, to name the best long-term example.

But right now? AEW's trying some things with MJF's "Bidding War of '24" and the Jade Cargill streak, among others. But the MJF saga has been a good example of the chaotic storytelling that has derailed the experience. From speculation about his future and the ruining of the feud with Wardlow, another absence, returning to win a title, and then abruptly turning on William Regal without explanation, it's hard to blame fans with whiplash and questions unanswered.

That's symbolic of AEW as a whole right now. The OGs of the company, for the most part, hardly get enough time. The Ring of Honor inclusion in weekly broadcasts and the hard-to-keep-up-with number of titles has made weekly broadcasts tough to follow while giving stars little time to tell coherent stories.

Some of this has been out of AEW's control (CM Punk, injuries, etc.). But the entire package is a far cry from what made it stand out early and is rather concerning when compared to what WWE continues to do right now.

As the calendar approaches 2023, it's odd to think WWE isn't the wrestling promotion fixated with quick pops via debuts or surprises and heat instead of the long-term.

None of this is to suggest AEW can't get back on track and WWE doesn't have mistakes of its own. But it is WWE suddenly investing in long-term storytelling as if finally realizing even the most casual of fans can handle it and appreciate the payoffs.

WWE will be much better in the long run for it, too and it couldn't have come at a better time. And that has nothing to do with AEW—WWE has long been in an emergency zone of needing to craft new top stars for when Reigns reduces his workload. This sort of booking and attention and care for detail means they don't need the next John Cena ever again, they simply need a slew of top stars with a backlog of history to headline and keep fans happy.

Based on what WWE has shown off in the last six-plus months, it almost feels like the company is just getting started. The groundwork laid to show fans this is a new era suggests a boom for the company and fans alike well beyond the next six months.

Despite getting cut from the movie, WWE Superstar Becky Lynch reportedly impressed Marvel executives with her performance in a scene for the 2021 film Eternals.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Sunil Joseph of Ringside News), Marvel sources recently confirmed that Lynch did indeed film a scene for a Marvel movie, and it was the post-credit scene in Eternals.

Sources told Fightful that the scene also featured star musician Harry Styles, however, it wasn't used because it was "too depressing."

Even so, Marvel executives were reportedly happy with Lynch's performance and left the door open for her to appear in a Marvel movie in the future.

The 35-year-old Lynch is arguably the biggest female star in professional wrestling, and she reached those heights during the build toward WrestleMania 35 in 2019. Known as "The Man" Lynch competed in the first all-female main event in WrestleMania history, beating both Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair.

In May 2020, Lynch stepped away to have a baby with fellow WWE Superstar Seth Rollins, and she returned in August 2021, beating Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women's Championship in her first match back.

Lynch landed on the shelf with a shoulder injury following this year's SummerSlam event at the end of July, and she recently made her in-ring return at Survivor Series WarGames last weekend, teaming with Belair, Asuka, Alexa Bliss and Mia Yim in a winning effort.

While Lynch is best known for her exploits in the ring, she has been expanding her acting portfolio in recent years.

Lynch starred in The Marine 6: Close Quarters in 2018 and did voice acting for Rumble in 2021. This year, she appeared on the Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson-produced television show Young Rock as 1980's rocker Cyndi Lauper.

While wrestling seemingly remains Lynch's primary focus, a positive report from Marvel executives could go a long way toward launching her acting career even further in the future.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

WWE Superstar Robert Roode announced Friday on Instagram that he underwent neck surgery in Birmingham, Alabama.

Roode noted that he had his C5 and C6 vertebrae fused and wrote he was "looking forward to the challenge" of rehabbing and recovering from the procedure.

This marks the second known surgery Roode has undergone in the span of about two months, as he previously announced in late September that he had an unspecified procedure in Birmingham.

Last month, PWInsider.com (h/t Gunjan Nath of Ringside News) reported that WWE officials were hopeful Roode would be recovered and back in the ring soon.

Given the significance of a spinal fusion surgery, it now seems likely that the 46-year-old veteran will have a long road back.

Roode has not wrestled a match of any kind since a live event in June, and his most recent televised match was the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal the night before WrestleMania in April.

Around that same time, Roode made some appearances on NXT in support of Dolph Ziggler, who had beaten Bron Breakker for the NXT Championship, but that ended when Breakker beat Ziggler on Raw the night after WrestleMania.

Roode spent much of the past few years as Ziggler's tag team partner, winning both the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Before that, he held the United States Championship, and his greatest success in WWE came as part of NXT where he was NXT champion.

If and when Roode returns to action, it is fair to assume that he could be in line for his biggest push yet on the main roster since Triple H took over for Vince McMahon as head of WWE creative in July.

Triple H was the one responsible for signing Roode and giving him a major push in NXT, and he may be willing to do the same on the main roster once the Canadian is cleared.

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While it is only the start of December, it sure feels like we already know the obvious winner of the men's Royal Rumble on January 28.

Obvious doesn't have to be a bad thing, though—especially when obvious' name is Sami Zayn.

Zayn has been the best thing running in WWE, if not pro wrestling outright, since his involvement with Roman Reigns and The Bloodline began.

So much so that Zayn has quickly entered the conversation as a guy who could and possibly should dethrone Reigns, the unified champ. It's no small feat for a wrestler to elbow his way into a conversation that previously only included The Rock and Cody Rhodes, if not Seth Rollins.

Yet Zayn has done it, slowly winning over fans with the underdog dynamic as he tries to earn the approval and acceptance of The Usos and Reigns. This all played out beautifully at Survivor Series, where it was Zayn ultimately choosing the future with The Bloodline over his past. That, despite fans getting behind-the-scenes looks at the distrust and plotting his new family does behind his back.

Survivor Series was more of a launching point to something bigger than the end of an arc. Fans understand a betrayal is coming, but the actual dynamic of it is impossible to predict.

Does it happen soon? Is it Jey Uso? Does Reigns give the command? It's obviously going to be a hurtful sequence for all fans because everyone on the planet can see it coming...except for Zayn himself.

Natural storytelling and timing suggest this happens after the Royal Rumble. There aren't major shows between now and then, and it's best to have it happen with the most eyeballs possible.

Maybe the most effective fantasy booking is for Zayn to win the Rumble and challenge Reigns at Elimination Chamber. In the ring, Reigns commands him to lay down for the pin. Zayn kicks out. Chaos, match at WrestleMania. Everyone profits. Or...they just wait until 'Mania. But anything works. This is pro wrestling. Rules change, things go out the window and stuff gets altered on the fly.

One thing WWE can't ignore, though, is just how red-hot this Zayn angle is and what an all-timer of a tale it can write. That includes a Royal Rumble men's match that would have fans more invested than usual. Imagine how unpredictable a Zayn-Logan Paul-Seth Rollins-Brock Lesnar-Jey Uso final four or five would be (pending health, etc.).

Granted, we'd be remiss not to mention that the men's match is ripe for other interesting storytelling opportunities. We could always see the winner end up challenging for a mid-card title, much in the same way Austin Theory used the Money in the Bank briefcase. That would help WWE keep Reigns' unified run safe for other angles.

More interesting would be the winner only challenging for one of Reigns' titles. It might sound silly, but this is pro wrestling and sillier things have happened. Maybe it's Cody Rhodes only wanting to reclaim his father's strap. Whatever would work and permits WWE to a "get out of a jail free" card with the titles getting split and both brands having a top title again.

Still, these options pale in comparison to the obvious Zayn angle. One could argue Zayn actually becoming a unified champion at 'Mania would be a bit much. But again, there are options. Maybe Zayn only wins one. Maybe he loses or makes new Bloodline allies that prop up a title run. Should he win, it'd be hard to complain about Kevin Owens getting involved or him putting over an up-and-comer.

That's getting a tad ahead of things, but one can see how this organically developing story has plenty of fun threads to tug on even after 'Mania.

It's not just about that, either. It's about rewarding Zayn for his work. It's about taking the path that feels right in this WWE that now values long-term storytelling. Throwing Rhodes into the mix and tossing Zayn to the side would feel inauthentic. The Rock has more storyline claim to the spot than Rhodes, but fans would be right to bemoan his shoving aside Zayn for a one-off, no matter how big it is.

This is all far, far from what fans would have ever dared to predict half a year ago. But that's the beauty of pro wrestling. There's arguably nothing more important in the sport's storytelling than timing. And right now is Zayn's time, to the point anything else would feel like a step in the wrong direction.

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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WWE Possibly Considering Involvement in Boxing

WWE chairwoman and co-CEO Stephanie McMahon suggested this week that WWE may try to expand its reach into the world of boxing.

Speaking at the Wells Fargo 2022 TMT Summit (h/t WrestlingInc's Ella Jay), McMahon addressed questions about whether WWE would be willing to acquire other smaller wrestling companies.

McMahon didn't rule it out as long as it would "align with our capabilities," but she also brought up the possibility of other acquisitions, including something in the realm of boxing.

Each weight class in boxing has several different champions, often making it difficult to declare a true world champion in a particular weight class.

McMahon compared that to the territory era of wrestling in the early 1980s and prior, and she mentioned how her father, Vince McMahon, centralized things by eliminating many of the territories and growing WWE: "My father, Vince McMahon, who was the Chairman and CEO, obviously had the opportunity to roll up all of those different territories and create one major brand in WWE that is now gone from a regional territorial, content play to a global media franchise."

Vince purchased WWE from his father in 1982 and served as the chairman, CEO and head of creative until his retirement in July.

Prior to Vince's father focusing on professional wrestling, his grandfather, Jess McMahon, was a boxing promoter. Vince dipped his toe in the boxing promoting waters as well, but it was fleeting.

Vince rarely hesitated to make superstar boxers part of his product, though, with Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. all playing big roles at WrestleMania, plus Tyson Fury having a match in Saudi Arabia more recently.

Boxing may not be as popular now as it once was, but putting the WWE promotional machine by boxing is something that could help lead to a revitalization should the company decide to go that route.

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Rhodes Reportedly Back to Regular Training Amid Injury Recovery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-r9Nb5F3qo

Six months after suffering a torn pectoral muscle, Cody Rhodes is reportedly making major strides in his recovery.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Rhodes training is "back to normal," and he is working with "top-level trainers" in an attempt to put on size ahead of his return.

Rhodes tore his pec in the days leading up to the Hell in a Cell premium live event in June. Rather than bowing out of his scheduled Hell in a Cell match against Seth Rollins, he battled through it and competed despite a massive bruise taking up one side of his chest.

WWE subsequently wrote Rhodes off television, and he has been working toward his eventual comeback ever since.

When WWE announced that Rhodes had undergone surgery, it was noted that he would be out of action for nine months.

That timetable would put Rhodes in line to return in March, meaning he would be back in time for a rivalry and match at WrestleMania 39. Many questioned the legitimacy of the timeline, however.

The Royal Rumble is in late January, and if Rhodes can make it back in time for that, he will undoubtedly be viewed as one of the top contenders to win the men's Royal Rumble match and challenge Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania.

Meltzer noted that it would make sense to keep Rhodes' return a surprise, and that is especially true if he is back in time for the Royal Rumble, as he would receive a massive reaction as a surprise entrant.

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Eric Young Reportedly Returning to WWE

Triple H has brought many former WWE Superstars back to the company since taking over as head of creative in July, and he reportedly has an agreement in place for yet another return.

According to PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson, veteran Eric Young will be back with WWE soon.

Young signed with WWE in 2016 and enjoyed a great deal of success in NXT. He created the stable known as Sanity and held the NXT Tag Team Championships at one point. Sanity did not receive much of a push once called up to the main roster in 2018, however, and Young was released from the company in 2020.

The Canadian star returned to Impact Wrestling after his release, which was the promotion he was part of from 2004 to 2016. Young held the Impact World Championship, X-Division Championship and Tag Team Championships during his first run with the company.

Shortly after returning, Young became a two-time Impact world champion, and he also won the Impact Tag Team Championships with Violent By Design stablemates Rhino, Joe Doering and Deaner.

On Friday, Impact aired a vignette involving Young and Deaner. It ended with Deaner stabbing Young, which was apparently Impact's way of writing him out of the company:

"ELIMINATE THE SICKNESS!!!"@TheEricYoung @CodyDeaner #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/prKamHFMbN

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) December 2, 2022

It is unclear precisely when Young will be back in WWE or which brand he will be part of, but the return of Sanity seems like a possibility given Triple H's past affinity for it.

Nikki Cross recently went back to the gimmick she had as part of Sanity, which may have been WWE's way of setting the table for the return of Young.

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There have reportedly been discussions within WWE about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson winning the 2023 men's Royal Rumble match as a surprise entrant and challenging Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39 next year.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Louis Dangoor of GiveMeSport.com), people in WWE have talked about the "pie-in-the-sky" idea of The Rock winning the Rumble to set the stage for an epic clash with his real-life cousin.

Due to their familial ties and the fact that Reigns is one of the biggest stars in wrestling—while The Rock is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood—rumors have long persisted regarding a match between them.

Both Reigns and The Rock have suggested they are open to wrestling each other at some point, but the question has always been whether The Great One would be able to fit another WrestleMania match into his busy schedule.

Meltzer (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of ThirstyForNews.com) reported in August that Reigns vs. The Rock is "100 percent" WWE's plan for WrestleMania 39 if it can get The Rock to agree, but it remains unclear if that will happen.

The Rock last wrestled a match about seven years ago at WrestleMania 32, although it was an impromptu match with no build that lasted only seconds. Before that, The Rock faced John Cena in the main event of both WrestleMania 28 and WrestleMania 29. He previously hadn't wrestled since 2004.

Reigns has been world champion for over 800 days, and there is no sign that he'll drop the championship before WrestleMania.

If the plan is for Reigns to be champion until at least WrestleMania and to face The Rock, then the only logical way to make it happen would be for The Rock to win the Royal Rumble, since the winner of the Rumble receives a world title match at WrestleMania.

Reigns vs. The Rock is not a match that needs the title involved to feel important, but it would perhaps add even more meaning and cachet to an already massive spectacle.

There is perhaps no bigger match that can be produced in the wrestling world than Reigns vs. The Rock, and if it happens at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, for WrestleMania 39, that show seems likely to set records for WWE in terms of live gate and viewership on Peacock.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).