Debuting in 2002, Brock Lesnar was touted as ‘The Next Big Thing’, promoted as such for the duration of his first run with the company. ‘The Beast Incarnate’ was unlike anything WWE had seen before; a freak of nature, capable of both pummelling an opponent with no mercy and displaying jaw-dropping athletic ability with Shooting Star Press attempts.
He went unpinned for his first few months in the company, defeating the likes of The Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Ric Flair along the way. Lesnar’s first pinfall loss occurred at the 2002 Survivor Series, dropping the WWE Championship to The Big Show. This came after Paul Heyman turned on Lesnar and instead aligned with the now-’Tall’ Paul Wight.
Jim Ross Believes Someone Else Should Have Ended Brock Lesnar’s Streak
Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross discussed the match, stating how “illogical” it was for The Big Show to be the one who ended the undefeated streak of WWE’s next big Superstar:
“It is crazy. It’s illogical. Why do we need to change the championship? I would have never booked that match. That match should never have happened if I had the old proverbial pencil, which has the most powerful weapon in all of wrestling on one end: the eraser. I would have never booked it. Again, protect your attraction.”
Elaborating, Jim Ross stated how someone else should have ended Brock Lesnar’s undefeated streak:
“The seven-foot, 500-pound, 400-pound guys don’t come along that often. He’s [The Big Show] an attraction that can’t be replaced as far as look and perception and size. Crazy. Don’t book that match. Book another match [opponent] that Brock can go out and have an athletic contest with. They kept this match short because they didn’t want to overexpose either guy.”
It’s previously been reported that Hulk Hogan was primed to face Brock Lesnar, though it’s believed ‘The Hulkster’ wasn’t keen to lose to Lesnar, as was the plan. Instead, The Big Show faced Brock, handily defeating him in just four minutes and twenty-three seconds.