Ever since Brock Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012, he’s been used as a special attraction, wrestling a handful of dates every year and appearing on a fraction of the weekly television programs. And he doesn’t really do the live event stuff, unless it’s a special one-off deal or another. This all helps add to the mystique and allure of Lesnar the pro wrestler, as you know it’s at least kind of a big deal every time he shows up. And you never really know when he might just decide to pop up over in the UFC again.
There are a lot of fans, and a select few wrestlers and other people in the business (outside of WWE, of course) who take issue with Lesnar’s status as a part timer, especially during the periods of time, like right now, when he holds the top singles championship in the company. The majority of the TV shows and the pay-per-views with Brock as champ don’t actually feature the champ, and for a lot of people, that’s a real problem.
One person who doesn’t have an issue with it is one of Lesnar’s most recent challengers, Samoa Joe. Joe has been in the business for a long time, and you’d think that he has a pretty solid take on various states of affairs within WWE.
In an interview with For the Win, Joe pointed out that a part-timer holding the top title in a company isn’t exactly a new development, and that if anyone’s earned the right to work Brock Lesnar’s schedule, it’s Brock Lesnar.
“You go to the Hulk Hogan era reigns, and I definitely didn’t see him on TV every week. There is a mystique to him not being on TV that much. When he does make appearances, it’s usually for purposeful reasons. That’s been the big theme for Brock. You hear he’s not here, but if you look back at the shows, he’s here when it counts and when I need to get my hands on him. As long as that still happens, I’m good with that.”
Joe, one of the most consummate professionals in pro wrestling, also manages to keep things perfectly in character. The long and the short of it is, as with all things in life, if it’s good enough for Samoa Joe, it’s probably good enough for everyone.
