This Day in Wrestling History, August 25, 2002, marked the beginning of one of the most dominate careers in the WWE Championship chase we’ve seen in years, and it may not be over yet.
Brock Lesnar came into the WWE as a force and he hasn’t let up since day one, and on this day he became the youngest world champion in WWE history until Randy Orton claimed that title a couple of years later.
The match
The only thing standing in Lesnar’s way was the current Undisputed Champion the Rock, but they had their date set for SummerSlam at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.
Special thanks to @awrestlinghistorian for the following excerpt.
“At age twenty-five, I became the youngest WWE Champion in history when I defeated The Rock for the title at SummerSlam. That night changed my life forever. I was now in a position to regularly score big paydays for a night’s work, and more. I was now able to buy a lot of things. I’ll always appreciate what Dwayne did for me and my family. If he hadn’t made me look good, things might have been a lot different.
“Beating the Rock…made me a true superstar in the eyes of the fans. I didn’t have just any title, I had the ultimate prize in sports entertainment…I wasn’t just another guy in the locker room, or a curtain-jerker, or a midcard guy, or a guy hoping and praying to catch a break. I was the main event. People paid to see me. And that’s exactly what I wanted, because that’s where the serious money kicks in.
“In my first-ever pay-per-view in some city I can’t remember, I beat Jeff Hardy in an undercard match and got what I thought at the time was a decent check. Now I was headlining pay-per-views, and making life-changing money every time. Not a bad night’s work. And it all literally happened overnight. Ten minutes in the ring with Jeff Hardy was really cool. But twenty minutes in the ring with Dwayne, and I was set for life.
“That’s why the match with Dwayne was such a big moment in my life. It wasn’t about who was better, who would really win. Come on, that’s ridiculous. It was about the fact I wanted to buy my mom and dad a house. I wanted to put money away for my daughter’s education. I wanted to be able to afford nice things in life for me and my family. I was the undisputed #WWEChampion, on the fast track to fame and fortune.
“I was on top of the world.” – Brock Lesnar, Death Clutch book.
Over the years since, few have had the impact Brock Lesnar has had on professional wrestling, and it began early on when he reportedly refused to sign unless the WWE signed his roommate and teammate Shelton Benjamin.
This Day in Wrestling History is a memorable one for Lesnar’s win, and it’s been great to watch him become one of the best in the business over the years.
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