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Brock Lesnar's world of hurt: photos) S8 K7 W6 [: }5 R+ ~+ t0 r
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/ z+ N4 g9 c0 z0 a# @( HIn Brock's pay-per-view debut at Backlash 2002, Jeff's Swanton Bomb wasn't enough to stop the towering Minnesotan.# @" g3 R& Z1 L5 @( b. S& x
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; B$ v0 j6 b. i0 }7 FLesnar delivered an F-5, and followed his signature maneuver with three monstrous powerbombs.
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Brock destroyed Matt Hardy in similar fashion.: |, C4 C$ ^8 p% ^/ _, r' V ~/ G
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6 D# s- _1 A7 U+ R) J DOn the July 22, 2002, edition of Raw, Brock Lesnar met Tommy Dreamer in a Singapore Cane Match.$ h! E& O4 ^" u: e! ^3 Q9 y- ]
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+ r: |/ x& q: C- y9 GDreamer's Kendo stick meant little to Lesnar.) u7 Y2 ~7 `- k( w* u- H) {
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' v9 J6 J s3 _$ X1 {! l3 ]' J: HBrock put his SummerSlam WWE Championship opportunity on the line against The Immortal Hulk Hogan on Aug. 8, 2002.
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Lesnar was stronger, more agile and hungrier than any monster Hogan had ever faced.# A% A0 Z; L$ q) c( l( l; V9 Z m
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; I! G0 Y/ }* X0 `Brock manhandled Hulk like few had ever done before.- p0 R% k2 B; ?2 _* M
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Hulkamania was dead, but Brockamania was just starting to run wild.
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The recently crowned WWE Champion faced veteran and noted tough guy Bob "Hardcore" Holly on the Sept. 12, 2002, edition of SmackDown.2 L2 N" F$ I* m, r6 \( k0 q$ y
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Lesnar prepared to deliver a powerbomb, but Holly attempted to squirm out of Brock's grasp and was dropped right on his head. One of the discs in Hardcore's neck was ruptured, and he was on the shelf for more than a year./ p# B- }$ d% I
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Lesnar inserted himself into a match between Matt Hardy and The Undertaker that had spilled into the backstage area. He grabbed a propane tank and viciously slammed it onto The Phenom's hand.+ N! R8 J% L' v
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7 t2 X% i0 B# c( x5 dThe Undertaker cried out in pain as if he were a sick dog, not a legendary Phenom.
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Later that month, it was determined The Undertaker would be permitted to wear a cast during competition.5 C, ?4 Y3 s [2 K- P# a/ z
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Despite the weapon and added protection, Lesnar retained the WWE Championship by defeating The Phenom in one of the most brutally intense Hell in a Cell Matches in WWE history.
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- @4 t n8 I$ _) v5 NIf there was one Superstar who was able to go toe-to-toe with Brock Lesnar during the former UFC champion's first run in WWE, it was Big Show.3 p8 Q# m$ Y3 @% j4 }
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The former WWE Champion delivered an earth-shattering F-5 to Big Show, sending the 500-pounder crashing through the announce table.; n' I# L2 R1 i) {8 G
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In match between the two colossal competitors on the June 12, 2003, edition of SmackDown, Lesnar executed a suplerplex off the top turnbuckle onto the giant.
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As soon as both behemoths hit the canvas, the ring posts snapped out of place and the entire structure collapsed.! B, F" D) L% R2 @; ^) z' b
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1 d( i" P, i7 W1 e2 }, dLesnar rose from the rubble, dominant in his destruction.
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0 o! \1 e4 A* Q$ J, O" kEmotions ran high when Lesnar was finally able to get his hands on Paul Heyman, who had led him to and then cost him the WWE Championship.
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: k7 E# N. L9 FThe pinstripe-clad ECW mastermind attempted to dash out of the cage, but Lesnar snatched him off the top of the structure.5 y+ a8 }9 t' K5 @4 ?/ Z3 m
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- R" x2 w6 P) {) }$ t+ M. VBrock hoisted the balding Westchester County native onto his shoulders and delivered a cathartic F-5 for the pinfall.0 g4 ~4 x- O: Y
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In an ultimate moment of degradation, Brock allowed Paul London to briefly touch his title before brutalizing the young Paul London, who was making his WWE debut.
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1 l/ u6 w& y! a, v6 J* z+ fIt wasn't so much a WWE Title Match as it was an execution.
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6 n: L0 o6 G+ @+ SLesnar handled London as if he were a rag doll, and didn't experience even an attempt of offense from his opponent.
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" ~/ _. j) k9 c8 l' c" P AOn the Dec. 18, 2003, edition of SmackDown, Brock selected his opponent from a golden tumbler usually reserved for bingo halls.
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$ x9 s0 o( S8 ?It shouldn't come as a surprise that ECW's Paul Heyman had orchestrated the entire ordeal.
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& ~0 H$ _+ x% O' ?' q( X, iLesnar selected a ball, and revealed the name "Shannon Moore."
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7 x4 K) N2 t$ L# @Lesnar captured his opponent in the brand spanking new Brock Lock submission hold.( q2 o$ ~; e; ` O* i
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3 [; t4 w# M9 {4 }) J9 MThe WWE Champion issued an open challenge to anyone in the SmackDown locker room on Jan. 29, 2004. For some bizarre reason, Orlando Jordan chose to accept.6 E4 N: L) j% y7 W% Q& g
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The monster had no tolerance for any sort of attempted contention from others.& B% u0 C9 w( A, A& C
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2 j, d* w& x5 O9 C' o! Z/ GLesnar quickly snapped in the Brock Lock and Jordan was quick to submit, awarding Lesnar one of his final victories in his star-making first WWE tenure. |
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