Brock Lesnar and 3 other Vince McMahon guys who have been under-utilized under Triple H in WWE
Over the summer, WWE experienced a monumental transformation. Vince McMahon stepped down as CEO, allowing his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, and Nick Khan to take over his duties. However, and this one was more relevant to casual fans, creative control was transferred to Triple H, his son-in-law.
If the last few months have taught us anything, Hunter and Mr. McMahon have very different ways of doing things. The Game brought back many released Superstars who were let go under his father-in-law's regime. Moreover, some Vince McMahon guys have been under-utilized and shifted down WWE's pecking order.
Let's explore 4 Vince McMahon guys who have been under-utilized by Triple H in WWE.
#4. Former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar
Apparently Brock Lesnar gave some sort of an indication in that if Vince McMahon is gone then he’s gone too.
This is getting crazy…
When Vince McMahon abruptly announced his retirement in July 2022, Brock Lesnar was not too pleased with the decision. The Beast Incarnate walked out of SmackDown, keeping his scheduled appearance in mind, in a bad mood, but returned later in the night.
Lesnar's actions can be traced to a close relationship with the former CEO of WWE, whom he considers a "father figure." McMahon always held The Conqueror in high regard, pushing him consistently on television and treating him like a massive Superstar.
However, the former UFC Champion's push has mellowed down under Hunter's regime. He lost a hellacious Last Man Standing Match to Roman Reigns at SummerSlam. Although he had a strong showing, this was his first time competing in this stipulated match-up, and the loss took a toll on his aura.
The Beast returned in October to resume his feud with Bobby Lashley, who was presented as his equal. At Crown Jewel, Lesnar survived Lashley by defeating him unconvincingly. At the end of the night, The All Mighty was the actual winner, for he had the former Universal Champion reeling on the ropes.
Under Triple H, Lesnar has looked mortal, nowhere near the level of invincibility he had reached under his former boss. Secondly, he has also been under-utilized, making fewer appearances. Although the latter can be attributed to his part-time status, The Beast featured more prominently on SmackDown when McMahon was in power.
#3. Happy Corbin was one of Vince McMahon's favorite guys
Baron Corbin has been one of the most widely desired figures in WWE programming throughout his main roster career. From when he was Mr. Money in the Bank to his role as Acting RAW General Manager, fans never truly liked him. He had nuclear "go-away" heat, but Vince McMahon had always seen him in high regard.
Under McMahon's regime, he found a lot of success and television time. He won the King of the Ring Tournament in 2019 and had a successful alliance with Madcap Moss recently as "Happy Corbin." However, ignoring his recent association with JBL, the former US Champion has become a non-factor under Triple H's creative control.
He lost a crucial match-up to Pat McAfee at SummerSlam, then another to Shinsuke Nakamura before fading into obscurity. Fortunately, Corbin forged a mildly helpful alliance with JBL and moved to RAW. Although this did give him some much-needed screen time, he has been relegated to the lower mid-card, involved in comedic angles with Akira Tozawa.
For a man who was in a high-profile match against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 38, Corbin has definitely fallen down the pecking order.
#2. Omos was a classic Vince McMahon project
The former CEO had an obsession with larger-than-life Superstars with an intimidating physical presence. Tall athletes with a lot of beef enjoyed decent pushes under the watch of Vince McMahon. Hence, Omos, who fit the prototype, was heavily protected and pushed under the 77-year-old's creative regime.
Especially during his early days, The Nigerian Giant was quite sloppy in the ring. However, his in-ring skills were compensated by pairing him with "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles. Once their successful alliance ended, Omos embarked on a singles run that saw him feud with former WWE Champion Bobby Lashley. During this time, he aligned with MVP, who became his manager.
Unfortunately, once Hunter took over, Omos faded from the spotlight, being used sparingly. The Nigerian Giant was used to put over Braun Strowman, establishing the latter as the true "Monster of All Monsters" in WWE. This was the same guy who was one of the favorites to win the Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
Omos re-entered the spotlight as he recently demolished Johnny Gargano on RAW, heralding a slight change in fortunes. However, considering he defeated Lashley under McMahon, he has fallen down the priority list with Hunter in power.
#1. Austin Theory
"I'm not your damn kid!" - @_Theory1
Respect your #USChamp 🇺🇸 https://t.co/rOTZXc4Mil
If there is one person in the locker room who misses Vince McMahon, it's Austin Theory. The former WWE Chairman took over as the on-screen mentor of Theory, consistently providing the 25-year-old with massive opportunities to prove himself.
A-Town Down became the youngest WWE United States Champion and won the Money in the Bank contract as an unannounced entrant. It was only a matter of time before he became World Champion. However, McMahon retired, and as Roman Reigns put it, Theory's "daddy" wasn't here anymore.
Following Hunter's creative takeover, the current US Champion was buried on television by the likes of Kevin Owens on the mic. Tyson Fury knocked him out at Clash at the Castle. However, he hit rock bottom when he unsuccessfully cashed his MITB for Seth Rollins' US title. Not only did he lose the briefcase, but he also made the questionable decision to cash in on a mid-card championship.
Giving credit where it is due, Hunter has started the redemption process. Theory has embraced a more aggressive version and recently won the US title again. However, if McMahon had been in power, A-Town may have been the World Champion today.