‘Monday Night Raw’ recap: Brock Lesnar becomes the new Batista

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in a special three-hour edition of ‘Monday Night Raw,’ we learned that Brock Lesnar is just like everyone else, and that three hours of show is one hour too many.

There were two big segments during the show. First, CM Punk proved that he can’t recite the alphabet backward, sober or not. Long story short, Punk was tricking Chris Jericho into believing he was drunk, and when he finally revealed his gambit by saying the alphabet backward ‘properly,’ he still messed it up! Ah, the perils of live TV.

But the show built to the contract signing between Lesnar and John Cena. Before he signed, however, Lesnar had some contract demands: He wanted to use Vince McMahon’s private jet. He wanted more money. He wanted the show renamed ‘Monday Night Raw starring Brock Lesnar.’ And then he said the only thing that makes him happy is beating people up. Really? Why do you need all the other perks then?

It seems to me that the WWE’s creative team is still trying to figure out exactly which direction to take Lesnar. Should he be a butt-kicking machine? Should he be a self-centered example of the modern athlete? And it’s understandable. The creative team at WWE has to write five hours of television, plus most of the WWE’s Internet shows, such as ‘NXT,’ every week. And don’t forget, there is no repeat season for WWE. Every week is a new show.

But WWE is in danger of turning Lesnar from something special into just another guy. Don’t give the guy a live microphone, because promos aren’t his strong suit and make him look normal. Don’t position him as just another guy in the locker room who wants his share of the pie. Brock Lesnar should be all about destruction. He should come to the ring, destroy, and then leave.

Monday night, he was just this year’s Batista. Remember Batista, who in his final year played the gimmick of the guy who wanted the spotlight? Wanted the money? Wanted the jet? Don’t turn Brock Lesnar into that. After all, WWE fans haven’t exactly been clamoring for Batista’s return since he left a couple of years ago. And I’m afraid if there are more segments like Monday’s show closer, no one will be clamoring to see Brock Lesnar appear on their TV screen.

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-- Houston Mitchell