Triple H blasted Brock Lesnar in an explosive real-life interview in 2004
Brock Lesnar and Triple H appear to have a good working relationship in WWE these days, but that was not always the case.
Back in 2004, Lesnar abruptly left WWE after two years on the main roster to pursue a career in the NFL. His decision frustrated Triple H, who felt that The Next Big Thing should have remained loyal to the company that made him a star.
On July 12, 2004, the 14-time world champion appeared on Canadian sports talk show Off the Record with Michael Landsberg. He referenced Vince McMahon's infamous "Bret scr*wed Bret" quote during a discussion about Lesnar's WWE exit:
"I think Brock Lesnar hosed himself," Triple H said. "Brock Lesnar scr*wed Brock Lesnar. Here's the thing, he turned down a great opportunity in wrestling to play football when he'd never done it since high school, had a limited knowledge of it, but I guess in essence he did the right thing for himself. He left, he didn't like the travel, he didn't like the constant fan recognition, and he left for that reason."
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Lesnar sidelined his WWE career and spent the 2004 preseason with the Minnesota Vikings.
He was a part of final roster cuts and declined an invitation to play in NFL Europe. https://t.co/eAu0KZZRvI
Lesnar signed with the Minnesota Vikings on July 27, 2004, before being let go by the NFL team a month later. He went on to fight in the UFC, where he won the Heavyweight Championship in just his fourth bout.
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Why Triple H disliked Brock Lesnar's WWE departure so much
Not many WWE Superstars have made a bigger impact on the main roster than Brock Lesnar. Within a year of his debut, The Beast Incarnate won the King of the Ring Tournament and the Royal Rumble. He also headlined WrestleMania 19 against Kurt Angle.
Brock Lesnar becomes the WWE Undisputed Champion at #WrestleMania 19 in an incredible match against the Olympic hero @RealKurtAngle https://t.co/ecep5FDKbM
By leaving WWE, Triple H felt that the former UFC star disrespected the opponents who agreed to lose against him:
"My problem with Brock Lesnar leaving is a lot of people sacrificed to make Brock Lesnar a star, and Brock Lesnar hadn't reached that level yet. He was becoming a star, but he wasn't a megastar. We were trying to get him there, but a lot of people sacrificed to get him there. They put themselves down to get him over, and then he cr*pped on those people by leaving."
Lesnar defeated several high-profile names between 2002 and 2004, including The Big Show, Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Ric Flair, The Rock, and The Undertaker. He returned to WWE in 2012 after an eight-year absence.
Do you think Brock Lesnar should have extended his WWE contract in 2004? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit Off the Record and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.