Opinion: Could Bobby Lashley replace Brock Lesnar?
Bobby Lashley was a dominant force on WWE TV from 2005 - 2007. Lashley would hold the WWE ECW Championship twice and also held the United States Championship, all the while dominating the majority of his matches, and giving respectable efforts with Booker T, Chris Benoit, John Cena and others.
Lashley left WWE in early 2008, after being absent for 6 months due to injury, to pursue a career in MMA, and boy hasn't he been successful. Throughout Bellator MMA, Strikeforce and others, Lashley has an MMA record of 15-2.
And he hasn't just kept it in MMA either; from 2014 - 2017, Lashley was the most dominant performer in Impact Wrestling, as a 4 times Impact World Champion. And now Lashley is said to be on his way back to WWE, after a 10 year absence.
If Lashley was to return, he wouldn't be the only top MMA dog in town, as the current WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar is still a force to be reckoned with. Brock is heavily rumored to be leaving WWE this summer as his contract expires just after WrestleMania.
That said, he may have several dates with WWE left on his contract that will have to be used, and they may be used for one final feud, with one returning Bobby Lashley. Should Bobby return and face Brock in a dream match too many (including Bobby), I imagine Brock would do the right thing and 'inspect the lights' for Mr. Lashley, thus stepping aside for the former ECW Champion to be the new indestructible force in WWE.
But could it really happen? Dave Meltzer seems to think so. In his words it is almost a 'done deal', but no one seems to be taking into account whether WWE want to bring Lashley back, if he doesn't want to end his MMA career.
Lashley has no intention of retiring from MMA and leaving Bellator, which may be an issue in this potential comeback. We can only hope that WWE will agree to Lashley's terms as the 41 year old may be past the point of a WWE live event schedule.
But if they can secure him to a TV/PPV deal only, and allow him to continue to fight, it will work out for everyone. Lashley is more than capable of filling Brock Lesnar's boots and may even create a more dominant role in WWE, as he being on TV more often combined with his incredible MMA record would make for a far more feared competitor.