Prior to WrestleMania 34, WWE fans were expecting Roman Reigns to walk into New Orleans and dethrone Brock Lesnar from the Universal Championship throne.
Of course, that wasn’t what happened as “The Beast” left New Orleans still Universal Champion after a bloody affair inside the squared circle. Also prior to WrestleMania, it was noted that Bobby Lashley had struck a deal to return to WWE. Many expected Lashley to engage in a feud with Lesnar, and after Reigns’ failure to defeat the former UFC champion at WrestleMania, perhaps Lashley would be the man to finally best “The Beast.”
Instead, Lashley’s most notable feud on WWE TV, aside from Roman Reigns, was against Sami Zayn. Many fans believe that WWE missed a big opportunity in presenting Lashley as a legitimate threat to Lesnar’s title reign. Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Ryback recently took to his podcast, Conversation With The Big Guy, and explained why WWE wants Reigns – not Lashley- to be the one to defeat Lesnar:
“They want Roman Reigns to be the guy to beat Brock Lesnar. You have to look at it that you are selling to the house market that a big win over Brock Lesnar does more for you worldwide than just that hardcore audience [if Lashley would have won] regardless of what they think,” Ryback said.
“Something like that they are going more global. You have to look at the big win Roman Reigns had over The Undertaker and other wins that he has been afforded over the years. That adds up and sells merchandise and that puts him in that sort of position.”
H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions
