Backstage details on Brock Lesnar walking out on WWE after 'shouting match' with Vince McMahon

Arn Anderson recalled on the latest episode of his ARN podcast that Brock Lesnar was playing WWE and UFC off against each other when he had a backstage argument with Vince McMahon before WrestleMania 31.

In the weeks leading up to the 2015 event, it was reported that Lesnar walked out of a RAW show in Nashville, Tennessee on February 23 after having a “shouting match” with McMahon.

The former UFC star went on to sign a new three-year contract with WWE one week before WrestleMania, despite spending over two months in training ahead of a possible return to MMA.

Anderson, who was a WWE producer at the time of the incident, gave Lesnar credit for being “the smartest guy in this business at self promotion”, while he explained that Paul Heyman’s on-screen client simply wanted the best deal for himself.

“He was smart enough to know that not only did WWE want him, in the worst way, so did the UFC. He was just sitting in a position to go, ‘Okay, we’re all aware of what’s going on here. I know you want me. You know you want me. It’s up to you guys to decide who’s gonna get me. Who’s going to make me the sweetest deal?”

WWE WrestleMania 36: Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre

Five years on from Brock Lesnar and Vince McMahon’s contract negotiations, “The Beast” remains a key part of WWE programming and he is currently preparing to defend his WWE Championship against 2020 Royal Rumble winner Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36.

As of the time of writing, it is unknown whether the match will be shown on the first or second night of this year’s WrestleMania, which takes place on April 4-5.