Jim Ross reveals Vince McMahon’s reaction to first seeing Brock Lesnar

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4 years ago

Brock Lesnar (L) and Paul Heyman (R) in the WWE ring (Credit: WWE)

Jim Ross reveals Vince McMahon reaction to first seeing Brock Lesnar

Speaking to talkSPORT’s Alex McCarthy, WWE Hall of Famer and current AEW announcer Jim Ross has revealed how Vince McMahon reacted when he saw Brock Lesnar for the first time.

Lesnar signed for WWE in 2000 and spent two years in the then-developmental brand OVW before making a splash on the main roster.

The Beast Incarnate tasted huge success in WWE before departing a couple of years later to pursue a career in NFL. He also had a stint with NJPW while also trying his hands in UFC before he made his return to pro-wrestling with WWE in 2012.

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman during a pre-event (Image credit: Getty)

five-time WWE Champion and a three-time WWE Universal Champion, Lesnar is one of the biggest names in the industry and has always been at the top of the card in Vince McMahon’s flagship.

Vince McMahon reaction when he first saw Lesnar

Taking a trip down memory lane, JR, who works for rival promotion AEW now, has opened up on what McMahon’s initial reaction was when he came across Lesnar for the first time.

“Gerry Brisco and I brought Brock Lesnar to a TV taping in Minneapolis because he went to college there.

“I said to McMahon ‘that new kid I’m recruiting is here tonight. If you get a chance I’d like you to say hello him.’ So McMahon is walking about with his Mr. McMahon walk and he happens to glance over and Gerry Brisco is standing by this monster. Vince made a U-turn and beelined right to Brock – he had never seen him. Never watched him wrestle.

WWE chairman Vince McMahon

“So when Vince laid eyes on him he knew that we had the guy. If he had any aptitude whatsoever – we knew athletically he was going to be great, he’d already proven himself as an athlete – but if he could get the showbiz side of it and have the aptitude to be a pro wrestler, he was going to be our guy for a while. And that worked out.”

It, indeed, did work out for Lesnar in WWE. A sure-shot future Hall of Famer, The Beast though has been off the screen since he lost the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36 last year and is currently not under the contract with the company.

Will Lesnar return for WWE SummerSlam?

However, given McMahon’s admiration for Lesnar, rumours of a comeback are never far away.