The Beast was back on Monday night, unleashed on RAW’s top talent by the man with the leash – Paul Heyman.
And boy, was it good to see.
First of all, it was just plain good to see Brock Lesnar back in a wrestling ring. But, more importantly, the whole segment was necessary if Lesnar is to remain a key figure in the WWE as they hope he will.
It was Lesnar’s first appearance since being humiliated by Goldberg at SummerSlam back in November and served as a stark reminder of his standing ahead of the Royal Rumble.
The one minute twenty-six second defeat to Goldberg has lingered in the background since the, a stench hanging over Lesnar’s name more so in WWE than his UFC doping ban.
What it did was reaffirm Lesnar as one of the most powerful people in the locker room and it’s about time.
Fans needed to be reminded of Lesnar’s force, that he is a genuine contender in the Rumble and not just in it to setup a third instalment with Goldberg at WrestleMania [although that is almost certainly what will happen].
Having Lesnar as the last man standing after flattening Roman Reigns was the perfect way to finish a frantic segment, which only whet the appetite further for the manic nature of the Rumble.
Carnage should be expected and we needed to believe that Lesnar will not only be part of it, but will instigate it.
You wouldn’t think that was possible by simply looking at Lesnar but the issue has been that we haven’t seen him in two months.
The WWE Universe is used to that, the likes of Lesnar, John Cena and The Undertaker all battling it out to define the term “part-timers”.
In the Royal Rumble, however, this isn’t a problem.
The extra gravitas brought by the inclusion of Goldberg, Lesnar and The Undertaker means that if, say, Seth Rollins wins, his victory is even greater and more memorable for the huge names he has overcome.
And ahead of one of the most highly anticipated Rumbles in recent memory, Lesnar was the last card in the deck to be revealed – his force both pushing his own value and those around him should they throw him over the top rope in two weeks’ time.
In a month of surprises and intrigue around this month’s blockbuster pay-per-view, it was yet another brilliant play by WWE.