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Wrestling fans were shocked when Vince McMahon announced his retirement from WWE in July 2022. The news significantly impacted several WWE stars, including Brock Lesnar, who walked out of that night's SmackDown show only to be convinced to return later.
However, this wasn't Lesnar's first time leaving the company abruptly. Paul Heyman had now revealed that "The Beast Incarnate" walked out of the WWE just a few weeks before he was set to defend the World Championship at WrestleMania 31.
Discussing the situation on the Out of Character podcast, Heyman recalled how Lesnar's departure from Raw forced him to initiate the main event build-up to WrestleMania with Roman Reigns, Lesnar's planned opponent for the event.
Heyman, who was Lesnar's advocate at the time, recounted the memorable night when he met Reigns for the first time: "I was there for his (Roman Reigns') first WrestleMania main event because it was against Brock Lesnar. I was there for the first promo he had to do about his first WrestleMania main event because it was the night after the blizzard, and Brock and I came.
I opened it by shaking his hand and telling him I've known your family longer than you've known your own." With Lesnar out of the picture, Heyman and Reigns promoted the main event at WrestleMania 31. Heyman highlighted the parallels between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, carrying their family legacies into the wrestling world.
Interestingly, Heyman also played a role in Rhodes' first WrestleMania main event promo.
Reigns vs. Lesnar WrestleMania Match
Despite the behind-the-scenes drama, the match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar occurred at WrestleMania in 2015.
However, both competitors left the event as WWE Champions. During the match, Seth Rollins executed the "heist of the century" by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase, securing his title. Paul Heyman's revelations provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of WWE and the challenges faced by its performers.
As Lesnar's advocate, Heyman had to manage the situation and ensure a successful main event build-up, even without The Beast Incarnate in the picture. Fans will likely remember this iconic WrestleMania moment and the behind-the-scenes events that led to it for years to come.
