Years Before Calling Him a ‘Father Figure’, Brock Lesnar Blamed Vince McMahon for WWE Stars Losing Their Homes and Family: “He Owns Their Careers. It’s a Vicious Cycle”

Brock Lesnar made his WWE debut in March 2002. In a career spanning a little over two decades, The Beast Incarnate has also had several hiatuses from the company. In between, he took part in NFL, made a name for himself in other promotions, and won the Heavyweight Championship in the UFC. But he always came back to where he started- the WWE.

Apart from his exploits in sports and wrestling, Lesnar has managed to keep his personal life almost hidden. In a rare interview appearance, outside the octagon or the squared circle, he referred to Vince McMahon as a father figure. But the sentiment wasn’t always the same. A young Lesnar had a very different take on McMahon.

Brock Lesnar once blamed Vince McMahon for wrestlers’ non-existent family life

Lesnar’s initial run in WWE was from 2002 to 2004. He bid adieu right after WrestleMania 20 for a stint in the NFL. However, it didn’t materialize and Lesnar went on to fight in other promotions and later signed with UFC. He made his return to the company on April 2, 2012. Just two months later, on 5 June 2012, Lesnar’s book- Death Clutch: My Story Of Determination, Domination And Survival– was released.

The 45-year-old penned it with his former manager in WWE and close friend Paul Heyman. In it, Lesnar accused the WWE of controlling the wrestler’s life. He said he had already lost faith and didn’t have a family because of the company’s grueling schedule. “I didn’t have a family because I was on the road three hundred days a year,” excerpts from the book read.

“That’s how Vince McMahon ends up owning all these guys. All they have is that company, that business. All they have is what Vince allows them to have. He owns their careers, and their careers become their lives, so he owns them. It’s a vicious cycle,” it states further.

However, Lesnar was able to have a change of heart and during his chat with former WWE commentator Pat McAfee in 2022, he spoke about his respect for the 77-year-old. “Vince and I have had a love-hate relationship for the last 20 years, but it’s been good… I met Vince when I was younger. I look at Vince more as a father figure because I’ve learned a lot of things from him,” he said.

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McMahon too is fond of Lesnar and proved it with his actions last year.

Brock Lesnar’s unsatisfaction led to Vince McMahon firing a family member

There are ample reports of Brock Lesnar having his way in the WWE. While this is partially true, he is also heavily favored by Vinnie Mac. So much so that the wrestling impresario fired his son, Shane McMahon, after Lesnar was angry with a match booking.

It happened after the 2022 Royal Rumble. Many wrestlers expressed their unhappiness with Shane-o-Mac’s booking skills at the event and Lesnar was one of them. Though he won the marquee 30 men Royal Rumble match, he wasn’t happy with it and this led to the senior McMahon severing professional ties with his son.

Incidentally, Shane McMahon wasn’t happy with Lesnar’s attitude once after the latter flung his WWE Universal Championship belt at Vince McMahon after WrestleMania 34. According to WWE legend Road Dogg, Shane-o-Mac even tried to confront the 45-year-old.

Is that the reason he made Lesnar fight twice on the same night at Royal Rumble 2022? Fans are free to guess the answer. That said, what’s your take on young Brock Lesnar’s account of Vince McMahon? Let us know in the comments.

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