Bobby Lashley released

[MillenniumMan831 0]

108. Cobb County is an infintely cooler place of residence for a wrestler than Colorado Springs.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

Bobby Lashley hasn't yet agreed to the terms of the release WWE sent him. He had been medically cleared to return, but asked to be let go after talking to Johnny Ace. There's some heat on Ace for all the people who've left under his tenure with bad things to say about him.

 

Lashley was upset about the size of his Mania payoff which was 250,000 dollars because the match brought in big money and he'd heard stories about other wrestlers getting over a million for Mania ME payoffs. A lot of workers felt he was just lucky to be on that spot on the card to begin with at that point of his career though. It also says he was mad that the company supported Michael Hayes, who had issues with Kristal.

 

The stories about Kristal being upset about potential "racial overtones" in the Edge storyline was likely blown out of proportions, and whether there would have been racial elements to a Edge-Kristal pairing is unknown.

 

Also, company souces said Lashley had become a PR problem for the company in the sense that local promoters were claiming he was difficult to work with when asked to do PR stuff and promote shows.

 

His contract is a long term one, so WWE is in a position of power when it comes to Lashley's immediate future. Since he's the one who asked to be released and he had a long term contract, he'll probably have to sit at home and do nothing athletically for a while once he gets his release, which is why some think he may have to consider returning to the company.

 

wrestling observer newsletter

 

Who exactly is going to moan about $250,000 for wrestling a 15 minute match?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Hulk Hogan.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

Hey, it's one thing for the likes of Cena/Hogan to moan about pay, at least they are stars and proven draws. However, Lashley's role in that match could have done by anyone, but he was lucky enough to be chosen for it, and then he complains because he doesn't get enough as the genuine main eventers, despite the fact he's at best an over pushed mid carder.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I agree - throwing out Hogan as an answer to your rhetorical question was basically me saying "who does Lashley think he is?".

[tekcop 0]

I'm not so much on the "Oh, god, fuck the over-pushed midcarder for wanting more money. Anyone could have taken his spot and did just as well," wagon, but seriously. It's his second Wrestlemania and he wasn't really even put in a position to draw for that match. Most of that weight was on the shoulder of McMahon and Trump. Look at the current top guys. It's not like any of them got huge main event pay days their second year on the roster. I don't really feel like going back and looking, but just looking at the four world title guys for that show, none of them were even close to taking the main event spot their second time around. Taker was, what?, squashing Jake the Snake? Batista was injured for 19, and played fourth fiddle to the Orton/Foley fued at 20. Michaels was probably doing something with the Intercontinental title, and Cena was winning the US title in the opening match. Outside of Brock Lesnar, has anyone ever jumped straight to the Wrestlemania main event scene within their first two years?

[Just call me Dan 0]

People like Kane and Angle I guess could be considered, but your point definitely stands.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Angle didn't main event 'Mania until 19, which was his fourth. I see the point you were were making about him rising up the ranks to the main event scene quick, since he was main eventing PPVs in late 2000 and 2001, but he didn't main event WM until WM19.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Why are people acting like Lashley main evented Mania? Last I checked HBK vs Cena was the main event.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

The Lashley situation is detailed in the Observer, and while there is agreement that $250,000 is a light for payoff for being in the main event of the biggest money drawing show in history, and that he was right to be unhappy about that part, the belief is just as strong that he should have been grateful.

 

Why are people acting like Lashley main evented Mania? Last I checked HBK vs Cena was the main event.

 

The match that goes on last might be the official main event, but it's not always the match that's the main event draw. Jericho vs. Hunter was the official main event for Wrestlemania X8, but we all know the match that drew the money for that one was Rock vs. Hogan.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

On the LAW Meltzer said they are eager for him to stay. The only thing I can suggest is hiring back Kristal. Bobby seems pretty smitten with her, and giving her her job back might be the thing that convinces him to stay.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Why are people acting like Lashley main evented Mania? Last I checked HBK vs Cena was the main event.

 

The match that goes on last might be the official main event, but it's not always the match that's the main event draw. Jericho vs. Hunter was the official main event for Wrestlemania X8, but we all know the match that drew the money for that one was Rock vs. Hogan.

 

I know all that, but even with the heavy media blitz for the McMahon/Trump feud and the subsequent Mania match that followed, I always got the sense the two world title matches were the true main events and that the Lashley/Umaga match was the "sideshow".

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Why are people acting like Lashley main evented Mania? Last I checked HBK vs Cena was the main event.

 

The match that goes on last might be the official main event, but it's not always the match that's the main event draw. Jericho vs. Hunter was the official main event for Wrestlemania X8, but we all know the match that drew the money for that one was Rock vs. Hogan.

 

I know all that, but even with the heavy media blitz for the McMahon/Trump feud and the subsequent Mania match that followed, I always got the sense the two world title matches were the true main events and that the Lashley/Umaga match was the "sideshow".

To wrestling fans, the two title matches might have been the 'true' main events, but it was the Hair match that was the difference between 700,000 buys and 1,000,000 buys. That match was undoubtedly the real main event.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Then in that event, give him the money. If he main evented as you say, and the show drew 1 million buys, give him the money typically given to the main eventers. If the WWE doesn't want to do that, they shouldn't have made the match to begin with. That's just my humble opinion.

 

It's like going to a dentist who got his certificate from some community college level school, and then expecting to pay him a discounted price just because he didn't go to Harvard (or wherever the reputed dentistry programs would be), despite doing the same work as the prospective Harvard dentist.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Then in that event, give him the money. If he main evented as you say, and the show drew 1 million buys, give him the money typically given to the main eventers. If the WWE doesn't want to do that, they shouldn't have made the match to begin with. That's just my humble opinion.

In theory, all parties involved should get equal credit for the match, and in that respect, Lashley is right to want more than $250,000. Not a whole lot more, but still more. However, the reality is that it was the McMahon/Trump hair versus hair storyline that drew the interest, and the money. They could have put any number of wrestlers in the roles Lashley and Umaga got, and the result would have been the same.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I know, but it WAS Bobby Lashley and Umaga chosen. So pay them, I say. And I'm not advocating giving Lashley Hogan level money, but if 250 thousand is the common practice for a guy who wrestled a Mania "main event", then they're obligated to fulfill that. That's my only point. So I don't really agree with the people in here who are going "Lashley? LOL who is he? Hogan?!"

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I know, but it WAS Bobby Lashley and Umaga chosen. So pay them, I say. And I'm not advocating giving Lashley Hogan level money, but if 250 thousand is the common practice for a guy who wrestled a Mania "main event", then they're obligated to fulfill that. That's my only point. So I don't really agree with the people in here who are going "Lashley? LOL who is he? Hogan?!"

If a precedent has been set for the type of payoff you get for a Wrestlemania main event match, then it's understandable a wrestler in such a match would expect that level of payoff and be upset if he didn't get it. However, WWE aren't really obligated to give a payoff in that ballpark, just one that's far higher than the payoffs anyone else in the show outside of the top matches. Not only that, but with Lashley only being on the full-time roster for less than two years at the time of the match, WWE would likely take the view that he doesn't have the seniority to get the kind of payoff a wrestler usually gets for a Wrestlemania main event, especially when Lashley himself had no real part in actually drawing the buys the match generated.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Fair enough. All I'm really saying is I can understand where Lashley is coming from. Better than just dismissing his gripes out of hand and laughing at him.

[Downhome 0]

Bobby Lashley has now officially been released:

 

http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/lashleyreleased

[Thanks for the Fish 0]

I love how the race card gets played because certain higher-ups might use "the word", however actions speak louder than words and the wwe's actions had Lashley in the plum Trump vs McMahon angle. This is all about Kristal Marshall not getting re-hired and wwe had to let him walk because of the dreaded race card.

[Thanks for the Fish 0]

Latest Lashley News (taken from General thread, I believe from Observer)

 

Bobby Lashley has been sent a release by WWE but has yet to sign it. A number of people are still expecting him to wind up back with WWE due to the lengthy non-compete clause that would come into effect. WWE is also hopeful of negotiating another release clause that would prevent him from discussing his departure in public or disparaging the company. John Laurinaitis has been getting some heat over the Lashley situation, which comes after many other top wrestlers have left the company in a negative manner, with many people noting that Jim Ross never had such problems when he was managing talent relations. Michael Hayes' name has also been mentioned as a major factor in Lashley's unhappiness, which is perhaps in relation to supposed 'racial overtones' of the planned angle for Lashley's girlfriend, Kristal Marshall, which would have seen her and Edge become an on-screen couple. Whilst numerous people doubt it would have been an issue, there are still a number of old-school people with old-fashioned opinions about 'mixed race' couples and the way they are portrayed. Lashley was also feeling the fatigue of the busy travel schedule, to the extent that he was becoming a difficult person for public relations to handle. He was also unhappy about his WrestleMania 23 pay-off of $250,000, feeling that as the winner of the biggest-drawing match in WrestleMania history he was entitled to more. According to Dave Meltzer, Lashley earned around $1,000,000 in 2007 alone even without selling a lot of merchandise. Additionally, Lashley was good friends with Booker T, who of course became so frustrated with WWE for various reasons, some of which also reportedly involve Michael Hayes, that he quit last summer.

[FroGG_NeaL 0]

Bobby Lashley has now officially been released:

 

http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/lashleyreleased

 

I love Lashley's reaction in his picture on that page.

 

 

 

[Jericholic82 0]

I feel kind of bad for him. and he was pretty over at times in his career, but he was not able to carry the ecw title well due to no opponents,a horrible angle with vince post-mania. Though he did have a good match with Cena at GAB. He was a high-profile wwe star though (he is on the cover for the video game too)

anyhow good luck I guess Mr Lashley

[Atticus Chaos 0]

Lashley was never over. At least, not as much as he should habe been consdering his push. His girly voice and lack of personality and charisma stopped him connecting to the masses. Heck, he didn't even sell much merchandise despite being the number 2 babyface on raw.

 

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

He should have been a heel.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Lashley was never over. At least, not as much as he should habe been consdering his push. His girly voice and lack of personality and charisma stopped him connecting to the masses. Heck, he didn't even sell much merchandise despite being the number 2 babyface on raw.

 

If he had no charisma he wouldn't have been the 2nd most over guy in OVW behind Punk when he was there. Though I will admit the booking really helped, but still...

[Atticus Chaos 0]

Lashley was never over. At least, not as much as he should habe been consdering his push. His girly voice and lack of personality and charisma stopped him connecting to the masses. Heck, he didn't even sell much merchandise despite being the number 2 babyface on raw.

 

If he had no charisma he wouldn't have been the 2nd most over guy in OVW behind Punk when he was there. Though I will admit the booking really helped, but still...

There's a difference between getting over in front of so many hundred fans, and getting over in front of thousands of fans, and millions watching at home. Raven's a big hit on the indies, but in WWE fans were pretty indifferent to him.

 

 

[haws bah gawd 0]

As I stated earlier in the thread, his voice killed him for me amongst other things I don't want to get into. He reminded me of the bounty hunter character that Undertaker played in Suburban Commando. This big guy that looks like he can rough you up, but talks with the voice of a small child.

[Silence 0]

"You're a dead man, Ramsey!"

[Twisted Intestine 0]

Lashley was never over. At least, not as much as he should habe been consdering his push. His girly voice and lack of personality and charisma stopped him connecting to the masses. Heck, he didn't even sell much merchandise despite being the number 2 babyface on raw.

 

If he had no charisma he wouldn't have been the 2nd most over guy in OVW behind Punk when he was there. Though I will admit the booking really helped, but still...

There's a difference between getting over in front of so many hundred fans, and getting over in front of thousands of fans, and millions watching at home. Raven's a big hit on the indies, but in WWE fans were pretty indifferent to him.

 

I'd say that if you can get over in front of so many hundred fans, there's a damn good chance you can get over in front of WWE fans. At that point you have the talent, you just need the exposure. What did WWE do with Raven? Give him the hardcore title a few times? Did he even have one real feud or any mic time? Of course the fans were indifferent to him, they barely got to know who he was.