But Krystal, his gf, got in a fight with the company and both left the company. Remember that?
Man, WWE was really high on Lashley back then. He was becoming a Superman at the same time as Cena's reign of terror as well. I still remember both facing each other at the 2007 Great American bash main event and people saying we were all screwed either way. On one hand, people wanted Cena's reign to finally be over, but on the other hand, not many people were eager to see Lashley as WWE champion either. Plus, both sorta had similar characters at the time being Supermen America #1 marines. The difference was that Lashley was more serious than Cena who had a goody and cheesy side to his character.
Imagine this, Lashley as WWE champion, being pretty much a poorman's black version of Lesnar. We'd probably have seen Lesnar vs. Lashley a few years ago if Lashley had stayed in the WWE. Also, for a guy with such an impressive amateur background, Lashley wasn't exactly impressive in the ring. And don't even get me started on his mic skills... or lack off. Has he ever cut a memorable promo? "NO!" is only memorable for being cheesy and bad, so it doesn't really count.
So yeah, let's all think positive for once and be thankful that Lashley left the company and never got to hold more than ECW and US gold. Or perhaps you disagree and liked Lashley?
So just like we are screwed with Reigns? Who knows Reigns may turn out to be another Bobby Lashley. Although Reigns ain't as jacked as Lashley was. Bobby Lashley 2.0 Aka Apollo Crews may take over in a few years. Hell can't be any worser then Reignss.
Well, it could be worse... imagine if Lashley was still around. We's probably have a sereis of matches between him and Reigns. Just imagine the promos those two would cut.
Batista wasn't the most impressive guy on the stick either back then and he was the biggest face in the company after Cena. With the right push Lashley could have become fairly big.
It's kinda funny how he was part of a very high-selling PPV, WM23 and part of the most likely match that sold that PPV: The Battle of the Billionaires. Gotta give credit to Trump for being able to play a good guy. Then again, anyone looks like a good guy next to Mr. MacMahon.
Given time to grow and continue both his ring work and mic skills; I do believe Lashley could've become true main-event material. Matches against Cesaro, Reigns, Gallows / Anderson, Corbin, Joe would be absolutely must-sees for me; even as someone who is not a fan of Lashley ( I just never really watched him). Would be interesting to say the least, not too many big men like that in WWE currently
He was too green back then and just reeked of being pushed just because Vince liked his look...but thesedays he has become pretty good in the ring. He could have been even better if he wasn't dividing his time between wrestling and MMA. Its more important to improve at MMA than it is pro wrestling.
As far as his mic work goes...mic skills clearly dont matter at all in modern day WWE. Reigns, Styles, Zayn, Cesaro, 2015 Rollins, etc.
I don't think the crowd was ever going to warm up to Lashley the way they wanted him to. The baby face, the soft voice, the Lesnar comparisons, Donald Trump calling him the wrong name, December to Dismember; nah, it was never happening. It was never as extreme as Romans push either. There were three brands when he was around (Raw, Smackdown and ECW) and he never felt like anything more than the top guy on the third brand that not as many people watched. Never once did I see him as a threat.
I remember at that time I wasn't really watching WWE or any wrestling for that matter but I saw bits and pieces of Lashley. The guy was clearly a Lesnar clone and they were pushing him as much as possible. Then it all just stopped and I always wondered why. To know it came because of dispute between the WWE and his gf is stupid.
Comparing his current TNA run to his 2007 run, Lashley has really improved in the ring and on the mic, and if he was this good back then, I wouldn't have a problem with him becoming one of the top guys in WWE.
Diddn't he go to ECW, you know when Vince turned ECW into a hybrid of Raw. And lost all identity in 07. When kelly kelly was doing her extreme expose . Before he left? I remember that. He was a big guy i remember him headlining Night of Champions with Taker and I think it was Edge in 07. Nearly ten years ago, crazy.
yeah he was ECW champion. Eventually lost his title to... Vince. Vince was ALL over Raw in 2006 and 2007. Which is odd considering he wasn't on TV as much in 2004 and 2005. You almost forgot he existed during those years. For some reason he got back on TV regularly after the WWE Homecoming in 2005 when they moved back to USA Network. In fact, in his segment with Austin that night, he told Austin a new era was coming. It seems to me that WWE thought they were going into a new era with Cena and Batista as champions now... but there really wasn't that much difference between 2006-2007 and 2002-2005.
Lashley was just pure power and speed but so raw (green) it made his style almost (but nowhere as good as) the way Lesnar has been booked alongside Heyman.
His feud with the late Umaga was probably his best moment in WWE for me though outside of his ECW run.
One of the cheesiest lines I ever heard, ahahaha funny as shit.
I was in middle school during his prime, and was a fan of him. Wasn't really aware of his short comings at the type due to being younger, but just his action figure physique of his was what drawled my attention towards him. That, and he was like a lack Brock Lesnar in my opinion, lol.
I like to point to Lashley as an example of how good John Cena is. Despite being an awkward, charisma-less fuck, Lashley was brought to a quality PPV main event from Cena. Cena also had something passable with Khali like a month earlier at One Night Stand.
But besides the Cena match- ehh, Lashley's stuff was pretty bad. WM23 was overbooked, December to Dismember... nuff said. The time he broke the cage diving at Umaga was cool, I guess.
The funny thing is, Lashley had a pretty impressive amateur background. I know pro wrestling is a whole different animal, but still when he debuted I was expecting someone as good as Angle in the ring.
oh god please don't remind me.
I can't believe I survived a time where Lashley, Batists and Cena, were all being booked like superman and champions of their brand.
Lashley shit was horrendous, he was unfuckingbeatable, he broke the master lock record, he would win handicap 1 on 2 or 1 on 3 ( YES ONE ON 3, I REMEMBER A MATCH WHICH INCLUDED ELIJAH BURKE WHO I WAS A BIG FAN OF, HE EVEN BEAT THE MCMAHONS AND UMAGA HANDICAP) matches, he'd beat established guys in less than 5 min clean..
I was disgusted by his booking.
He was very over, top face reactions for sure, but he it all just seemed un-natural and forced, but at least unlike your current FOTC, he was a true powerhouse.
2007 actually started out pretty good. The road to WM23 was quite good... but post-Mania and Summer that year were pretty damn bad. And I'm not just talking about the Benoit thing. Remember all those SD! injuries? If you think getting Cena, Lashley and Batista shoved down your throat was bad, then what about The Great Khali as WHC? And he has successfully defended the title on PPV even!
Anyway, back then things weren't that bad. We've had worst stuff since then.
oh god please don't remind me.
I can't believe I survived a time where Lashley, Batists and Cena, were all being booked like superman and champions of their brand.
Lashley shit was horrendous, he was unfuckingbeatable, he broke the master lock record, he would win handicap 1 on 2 or 1 on 3 ( YES ONE ON 3, I REMEMBER A MATCH WHICH INCLUDED ELIJAH BURKE WHO I WAS A BIG FAN OF, HE EVEN BEAT THE MCMAHONS AND UMAGA HANDICAP) matches, he'd beat established guys in less than 5 min clean..
I was disgusted by his booking.
He was very over, top face reactions for sure, but he it all just seemed un-natural and forced, but at least unlike your current FOTC, he was a true powerhouse.
oh god please don't remind me.
I can't believe I survived a time where Lashley, Batists and Cena, were all being booked like superman and champions of their brand.
Can someone explain to me why we weren't cool with Bobby Lashley being a top guy in the WWE, but we're all begging for a Cesaro title reign? Just need some clarification on the subject.
I liked Lashley back then, but the man has gotten insanely good in recent years. The man has been an absolute monster in TNA. His matches with Angle, Aries, Roode, Jeff etc. are all great. Not to mention, he's improved on the mic too.
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