WWE star Brock Lesnar appeared on ESPN SportsCenter on Tuesday morning to promote SummerSlam. Here are the highlights.
On Dana White calling pro wrestling fake on Twitter:
“Well, of course, Dana, it’s fake, everybody knows that, but you’re promoting the same thing we’re promoting. Dana White is promoting fights, we’re promoting fights. It just so happens we get a little more longevity out of our fight and out of our fighters because of the circumstances. It is a staged arena, everybody knows that. If you can’t turn WWE on Monday night and get something out of that show and be entertained, then there’s something wrong with you. Dana is probably, in his defense, is promoting fighting, but it’s the same thing. He’s trying to sell pay-per-views, he’s trying to sell money fights, it’s the same racket.
On who is a better promoter – Vince McMahon or Dana White:
“(MMA is) non-rehearsed, absolutely, but the business model is the same, it’s identical. I think Vince McMahon is better at it than Dana and that might rub Dana the wrong way… Vince is the pioneer of it. He’s been doing this his whole life and he’s damn good at it.”
Lesnar on preparing for a match:
“I approach every match the same. At the end of the day, I want to put out a good product, I want to portray believability, I want to be an ass kicker. As long as I’m portraying that… To me, I don’t know the difference if there’s 20,000 or 80,000 people because I love being in the ring. For me, it’s about being in there and performing and as long as there’s people out there and as long as I’m doing my job, that’s why I’m here, I love being in the ring. Everything else? IÂ don’t care too much for (laughs).”
On ending Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania 30:
“It was a very strange experience for me, because the legend of The Undertaker was supposed to live on. A lot of weight on my shoulders, to be the guy to take that away from the company, the fans, and even my co-workers. But t the end of the day, it was a business decision by Vince McMahon, and, hey, I’ll take the win whenever I can.”
I still get booed by that one. They don’t like that one… If there was one guy that could handle that, I think if they would have put that responsibility on any other performer, a full-time guy, me being a part-time participant in this venue, I think it was the right thing to do.”
