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WWE News
WWE News: Brock Lesnar tells ESPN what he battled mentally and physically in WWE; Bret Hart interviewed (includes VIDEO of story) Oct 22, 2008 - 3:53:23 PM
In interviews since leaving WWE in April 2004, Brock Lesnar has maintained that he lacked passion for pro wrestling and needed to take out his aggression in real sports, not entertainment. Lesnar said in an ESPN E:60 interview that he was also mentally and physically in a lot of pain being on the road 300 days per year.
Lesnar cited the injury list early in his WWE career: "I've torn both of my knees up. Severe back pain. Ribs. Neck issues. I wrestled with my MCL blown out and three broken ribs. And I wrestled that way for six months because I had just become the champion." He said, with a chuckle, that doesn't even remember those two years of his life because of "vodka and pain pills."
He said he looked around and decided he didn't want to still be in the locker room 20 years from now looking like the older wrestlers doing the same every night. Bret Hart was interviewed for the piece and said, "There is a lot of pain in wrestling. I know countless wrestlers that are all dead today from having addictions to painkillers."
The E:60 story also focuses on Lesnar's transition to UFC and Lesnar is asked about his physique. Before even asked about steroids, Lesnar stormed off the interview set. In the next clip, UFC president Dana White says he didn't bring up the subject with Lesnar, but said "in this day in age, if you're taking steroids, you're a moron." Lesnar is then shown returning to the interview and saying, "I have never failed a f----- drug test."
Caldwell's Analysis: Lesnar has a certain aura about him that makes it very easy not to like him. His "pro wrestling heel" comments at the end of the story about his fight against Randy Couture next month play into that, but Lesnar evoked some sympathy describing his physical and mental trouble in WWE. He's right that if a wrestler sits down and looks at a peer 20 years older than him, it begs the question of whether 20 more years of being on the road 150-300 days per year is worth it. Lesnar made it clear he didn't want to be in WWE in the first place, other than picking up major paydays, so that made the decision for him when the stress became too much.
As for the Scott Steiner line of having never failing a drug test, it doesn't hold water. WWE didn't have a Wellness Policy when Lesnar was at his peak. It was a carry-over from the Monday Night Wars when both organizations turned a blind eye in order to have the biggest, strongest, and fastest wrestlers on their TV shows. Whether or not Lesnar took steroids four years ago isn't the issue. The issue is exactly what Bret Hart referenced - is something being done about the current and future body count increasing in wrestling?
FYI: ESPN's E:60 story from last night is below.
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