One of Brock Lesnar’s fiercest WWE rivals claims the monstrous star is one of the industry’s best professionals.
The former UFC fighter and multi-time wrestling champion Lesnar is among the most physically dominant in WWE history.
His hard-hitting style earned him the nickname ‘The Beast’ in wrestling circles and he was at one time the youngest ever WWE Champion, in addition to being given the honour of shattering The Undertaker’s record-breaking WrestleMania streak.
His reputation for physicality and intensity is, as a result, very well established, but Lesnar has spent a lot of time in recent years helping bring through the next generation of stars.
He ultimately came up short in feuds against Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, who’ve gone on to firmly cement their own place as WWE’s top performers of the day.
Rhodes, however, insists there’s another side to Lesnar that he joked would ‘ruin’ the 47-year-old’s reputation.
The current Undisputed WWE Champion says his former rival is actually a top professional – and a class act, too, having sent him quite the gift at the conclusion of their on-screen feud that included three high-profile pay-per-view bouts.
Speaking on Flagrant, Rhodes said: “The lore of him is that he is the most crazy, outrageous, strong, the greatest athlete and he can end anybody in a moment.
“I’ll ruin it for some: his professionalism is so underrated. He is one of, if not, the most professional and understanding of what we wanted.
“He has a farm in Canda. I hope you’re not mad at me for sharing this, but he sent me an entire cow worth of steaks.
“He took a picture of himself with the cow, because he does it all. He’s a real farmer.
“I thought: ‘what a legend!’”
Of Lesnar’s standing, Rhodes added: “He was just the utmost professional with me. I was blessed to be in that role.
“I had to find something [against Brock] because he’s not giving anything easily, and the best guys don’t give anything easily.”
Lesnar remains on something of a hiatus from wrestling, having not featured in a match since their third and final clash -a SummerSlam battle with Rhodes over a year ago.
He was linked to allegations of sexual assault and trafficking made against former WWE owner Vince McMahon published in the Wall Street Journal.
The company has stated it is open to working with Lesnar in the future but it is not known if or when he’ll continue to wrestle.
Rhodes, meanwhile, admitted he expects to be fully active in the ring for at least another six years before he plans to wind down.
With his mind on his family and the future, Rhodes added: “I feel like, I’m 39 now, I feel like I can go full-time, one hundred percent, and be the best, my best and of a standard, until 45.
“I don’t know why I’ve put that number in my mind. I have a three-year-old daughter, and I do not want her to have a dad that can’t do a lot [or] doesn’t have the strength and al the things she needs to pick her up.
“I think about that a lot, and I’ve been lucky. [I’ve had] one surgery. I’ve been blessed, not been injured a lot.”
Rhodes wrestled for WWE between 2006 and 2016 before leaving and helping set up rival organisation All Elite Wrestling prior to his 2022 return.
