Brock Lesnar Is Proof That Part-Time Stars Make WrestleMania

By Anderson Otebele

It's become fashionable to criticize the use of part-time wrestlers to bolster the star power of WrestleMania, but the pay-per-view this past weekend was a great example of just how much such an athlete can improve a show.

Brock Lesnar is the very definition of a special attraction. There is simply no one like him on the WWE roster—more to the point, there's no other wrestler in the world who carries a similar amount of legitimacy and gravitas with him or her when entering the ring.
Over the past year, he's been carefully built as the biggest threat in the wrestling world. From his conquering of The Streak to the disassembly of John Cena at SummerSlam, no WWE fan was left in any doubt as to Lesnar's abilities.

Credit: WWE.com

The fact that we rarely saw him compete was rather besides the point; whenever he did step into the squared circle, there was a palpable excitement. The question of who can beat Brock Lesnar loomed large over the 12 months between WrestleMania 30 and WrestleMania 31 and still hasn't been fully answered.
However, if Lesnar had been the same sort of active competitor as most athletes on the WWE roster, none of this would have been possible. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and even if The Beast was as dominant as he has been, wrestling regularly would have watered down his allure.
It's easier than ever for today's talent to become overexposed. Between the hours upon hours of broadcast television WWE puts out every week, special appearances and a constant social media presence, we see more of our favourite wrestlers than just about any other television personality.

 Credit: WWE.com 

 

That can be a problem when the biggest show of the year comes around. With audiences used to seeing the same faces each week, how can WWE put on a show that feels larger than life?
It's not uncommon for WWE to tape between 15 and 20 matches for television on a weekly basis. Add to that a monthly pay-per-view, and even the deep roster of today might seem too small to deliver a steady stream of fresh matches and rivalries.
That's where an attraction like Brock Lesnar comes in handy. At present, any matchup featuring The Beast—with the exception of another Lesnar vs. Cena bout—feels novel. Even without the title, crowds are eager to see Lesnar fight because it's a rare and special thing.
In terms of WrestleMania 31, Lesnar was cast perfectly. He seemed like the obvious choice for the heir apparent Roman Reigns to knock from his throne. As fans worked themselves into a frenzy about the golden boy taking a stab at The Beast, Rollins was allowed to operate in the shadows and make his cash-in all the more unexpected.
Of course, this isn't to say that part-time stars have more value than their full-time equivalents. A workhorse like Rollins is able to main event shows throughout the year, and we'll undoubtedly see a string of excellent bouts from him as he defends his title over the coming months.
The fact is, however, that the amount of content WWE puts out at the moment makes it difficult for WrestleMania to seem truly special. A big name on the card makes for a bigger event overall, and every other match on the show will benefit from that sense of occasion.
So while there's certainly a case for restraint in the use of part-time stars, there's also plenty to be said for their ability to make WrestleMania feel like the biggest show of the year. It's OK if we don't see Brock Lesnar all the time—what matters is the impact he makes when we do see him fight.
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