Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar

Born: July 12, 1977 in Webster, SD
6'4, 294 lb
AKA: The Next Big Thing

Brock Lesnar grew up as a farm boy in the small town of Webster, South Dakota, but farming wasn't the path that Lesnar would follow. Instead, he turned his attention to wrestling, but initially not the professional ranks where he would later gain fame.

Lesnar, instead, excelled in the amateur ranks. After winning a National Junior championship at Bismarck (North Dakota) Junior College in 1998, Lesnar transferred to the University of Minnesota. After two Big 10 championships, he became an NCAA National Wrestling Champion in 2000.

Upon graduating from the University of Minnesota, Lesnar received, but turned down, offers from TB Buccaneers and Washington Redskins to play football. Instead, his interest piqued in pro wrestling after watching the WWE, Lesnar decided to sign with WWE in June 2000.

Assigned to the WWE's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling, Lesnar teamed with another former amateur standout, Shelton Benjamin. Together, the pair was dubbed the "Minnesota Stretching Crew". In February, 2001, the Crew defeated the Disciples of Synn to begin the first of three reigns as OVW Tagteam Champions.

However, with Lesnar's size and agility, the WWE soon decided he was ready to be called up to the WWE. On October 3rd, Lesnar worked his first WWE house show, which took place in Winnipeg against Chris Kanyon.

Lesnar would arrive on WWE television screens on March 18th 2002, the day after Wrestlemania XVIII. During a Raw broadcast, Lesnar stormed to the ring during a Hardcore match and beat up Maven, Spike Dudley and Al Snow.

Lesnar would make his presence felt by interfering in several other matches. He was quickly dubbed "the Next Big Thing" by manager and mouthpiece, Paul Heyman. He was so impressive that he was draft to the Raw brand as Ric Flair's 8th pick.

After a program against the Hardys, Lesnar defeated Bubba Ray Dudley to qualify for the King of the Ring. He defeated Booker T to advance in the tournament and then, at the pay-per-view itself, defeated Test and RVD to win the 2002 King of the Ring.

A brief feud with King of the Ring finalist Rob Van Dam became a feud with the Undertaker, after Brock turned on 'Taker during a tagteam match against Van Dam and Ric Flair.

After the July 22nd edition of Raw, Lesnar defected to Stephanie McMahon's Smackdown brand. A month later, at SummerSlam 2002, Brock Lesnar defeated the Rock to become the WWE Champion, but while the previous title-holders had moved between Raw and Smackdown, Lesnar decided to remain exclusively on Smackdown, forcing Eric Bischoff's Raw brand to create its own World Championship.

In the fall, Lesnar resumed his feud with the Undertaker, battling and defeating 'Taker in a Hell in A Cell match at October's No Mercy pay-per-view.

Lesnar's first reign as WWE Champion would come to an end at the 2002 Survivor Series. His manager, Paul Heyman, would betray him and help the Big Show unseat Lesnar for the title. Lesnar was so outraged that he disobeyed Stephanie McMahon's orders and was suspended. However, he would receive help from an unlikely source: another former NCAA champion, Kurt Angle. Angle promised that he could get Lesnar's suspension lifted if Lesnar would help Angle regain the WWE title.

At Armageddon, Lesnar was the difference maker and Kurt Angle defeated the Big Show to regain the WWE Championship. However, Angle soon unveiled a surprise of his own: his new manager, Paul Heyman.

At the 2003 Royal Rumble, Lesnar had to defeat the Big Show to gain entry (#29) into the events, and then eliminated the Undertaker to win the match and the right to face the WWE Champion at Wrestlemania.

Of course, in the weeks that followed, Lesnar had to put up with shenanigans from Kurt and Eric Angle, not to mention Team Angle (his former partner Benjamin and Charlie Haas) before getting to Wrestlemania XIX in Seattle.

It would be at Wrestlemania XIX that Lesnar would show the world his ability to perform a shooting star press...and almost break his neck in the process. Despite the injury, Lesnar managed to finish the match...and defeat Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship.

After becoming WWE Champion, Lesnar feuded with the Big Show. During on broadcast in June 2003, Lesnar delivered a superplex on the Show that broke the ring. But perhaps the biggest surprise was that, upon his return, Kurt Angle teamed with former foe Lesnar. At least until July's Vengeance pay-per-view when Angle won a Triple Threat match to end Lesnar's second title reign.

The next week on Smackdown, Lesnar turned on Angle after a tag match against the Big Show and A-Train. He even menaced both Zach Gowan and Stephanie McMahon. However, after an Iron Man match on Smackdown on September 18th, Lesnar was once again WWE Champion when he defeated Kurt Angle 5 falls to 4.

Lesnar would soon surround himself with the likes of Matt Morgan, the Big Show, Nathan Jones and the A-Train as events lead up to Team Lesnar vs. Team Angle at the Survivor Series. Lesnar would also prove himself a monster as he demolished Shannon Moore and Rey Mysterio, Jr.

After retaining the WWE Championship against Hardcore Holly at the 2004 Royal Rumble, Lesnar interfered in the Rumble itself, attacking Bill Goldberg. The attack on Goldberg would come back to haunt Lesnar, however, as Goldberg's interference cost Lesnar the WWE title against Eddie Guerrero at No Way Out.

A match was soon signed between Lesnar and Goldberg for Wrestlemania XX with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin as the special referee. Lesnar did himself no favours when he attacked Austin and, at one point, stole his four wheeler.

However, as the days to Wrestlemania began to dwindle, rumours persisted that Lesnar was on the verge of leaving the WWE and pro wrestling itself, to pursue a career in the NFL. In fact, he had quit the WWE, with his last match being at Wrestlemania.

On April 18th, Lesnar is involved in an accident when his motorcycle collided with a minivan that pulled out in front of him. After having glass removed from his forehead, Lesnar is soon released from the hospital.

He received two tryouts and then is signed as a defensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings. He received a lot of press for his attempts to make the transition from pro wrestling to pro football but he was cut from the team in August.

Although Lesnar (and fiance Rena "Sable" Mero) made a non-wrestling appearance on a New Japan Pro Wrestling card in January 2005, the only headlines he made for a while were over his lawsuit against the WWE in an attempt to get out of his no-compete clause, which doesn't expire until January 2010.

In July 2005, in yet another bizarre turn, Lesnar met with WWE head Vince McMahon in what ultimately was a fruitless attempt to resign with WWE. When negotiations with McMahon and the WWE went nowhere, Lesnar returned to Japan and, on October 8th, 2005, defeated Kazuyuki Fujita and Masahiro Chono to win the IWGP Championship.

Lawsuits continue as the WWE remains committed in its attempt to bar Lesnar from wrestling anywhere in the world. Where Lesnar's career, goes from here is anyone's guess but Lesnar certainly has come a long way from that farm boy from South Dakota.

-- compiled by John Milner

BROCK LESNAR STORIES

April 5, 2012: Loud-mouth Lesnar belongs in WWE

July 1, 2011: Lesnar's Death Clutch doesn't quite grab hold

July 11, 2009: Lesnar floors a door

Nov. 15, 2008: Lesnar out to prove his critics wrong

Sep. 27, 2008: Fight of life for Brock

Aug. 2, 2005: WWE: Brock says no to contract

July 6, 2005: WWE cuts more while negotiating with Lesnar

Feb. 12, 2005: Brock taking WWE to court

Jan. 27, 2005: SLAM! Speaks: The Brock watch

Oct. 28, 2004: Lesnar rookie card released

Aug. 30, 2004: Vikings cut Brock Lesnar

Aug. 29, 2004: Bravo to Brock for good effort