Brock Lesnar broke character, smiling with fans after his WWE title win at WWE Day 1 after pinning Big E. Lesnar was added last minute to a five way title match after Roman Reigns tested positive for the virus, leading to the cancelation of Reigns and Lesnar’s rematch where Paul Heyman was expected to take part in a major angle setting up the main event of WrestleMania 38 for the WWE Universal Championship.
Lesnar dominated Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and Big E, while Bobby Lashley hit several big spots on Brock during the match, including a spear through the barricade.
This Brock is just different. pic.twitter.com/8zzbSdjPEr
— Ryan Pappolla (@BodieIsRyan) January 2, 2022
Me with the new @WWE CHAMP @BrockLesnar @nodqdotcom @aaronrift. Someone pinch me!!!! #WWEDay1 pic.twitter.com/nyqESFRYpD
— ThomasDBradley (@ThomasDBradley) January 2, 2022
HOLY SHIT 🔥🔥🔥 Shoutout to Brock Lesnar a fucking GOAT 🐐 #WWEDay1 pic.twitter.com/8WUsUHTwGY
— Mr. Nightlife 🏁 (@JoeyCashForever) January 2, 2022
WWE have released Braun Strowman, Aleister Black, Lana, Ruby Riott, Santana Garrett, and Buddy Murphy. The reason cited was part of budget cuts, and Strowman was being paid $1.2 million per year according to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The former WWE Universal Champion signed a new contract in October 2019, so the budget cut regarding Strowman is the WWE’s biggest saving financially from all of the talent cuts in the last year plus during the pandemic.
Among the releases, Buddy Murphy’s name certainly stands out as he was an incredibly talented in-ring competitor in the company. WWE veteran Vince Russo reached out to the Australian star after the company confirmed the firings earlier this week.
Vince Russo recently spoke on Writing With Russo, where he discussed the major firings of WWE Superstars this week. This included Buddy Murphy, with whom Vince Russo exchanged direct messages after his release from the company.
“I exchanged DMs with Buddy Murphy after he was let go, and I said, ‘Let me make something clear to you as a guy that used to write the show. I said, ‘Let me make something perfectly clear to you.’ I said, ‘Bro, the system failed you. You did not fail the system,” Russo revealed.
