Brock Lesnar put over Drew McIntyre in a big way at WrestleMania 36, as the Scottish Superstar kicked out of the F-5 on multiple occasions before laying out Lesnar with several Claymore Kicks and pinning him to win the WWE Championship.
While Lesnar figures to take some time away before returning to WWE programming, it is already fair to wonder who The Beast will target when he comes back. Lesnar is among WWE's biggest draws, and he is always a huge part of the product whenever he is around.
The 42-year-old has largely vied for world titles over the past few years, so going after one is a possibility, but Lesnar could also get involved in a feud that doesn't include a championship.
With Lesnar no longer existing as the reigning, defending WWE champion, here is a look at some potential opponents who would make sense for him when he returns.
Tyson Fury
If Lesnar is going to face someone without a title being on the line, it stands to reason that WWE would want to make it the biggest box-office draw possible. No full-time wrestler on the current roster necessarily fits that bill, but heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury could.
Fury made his in-ring debut for WWE last year at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia when he beat Braun Strowman by count-out. Fury was already a major worldwide star at the time of the match, but his stock has risen significantly since then.
In February, Fury thoroughly dominated Deontay Wilder en route to a technical knockout victory in the seventh round. With that win, he removed all doubt about whether he was the top heavyweight fighter in the world.
Fury is scheduled to face Wilder again in July, and if he is able to win that fight, perhaps the door could be open for him to do something with WWE at SummerSlam.
The Gypsy King has remained open to working with WWE again, and he told Alex McCarthy of TalkSport that he was actually supposed to appear at WrestleMania before the coronavirus pandemic led to it getting moved for a closed set at the WWE Performance Center.
WWE's next-biggest show is SummerSlam, which is scheduled to take place in Boston in August. Assuming fans are able to attend that event, WWE will undoubtedly want some huge attractions on the card.
There may be none bigger than a former UFC Heavyweight champion in Lesnar facing the reigning heavyweight boxing champion in Fury.
The match may not be pretty, and it certainly wouldn't be a technical classic, but in terms of generating crossover interest, there is no more significant match WWE could do right now than Lesnar vs. Fury at SummerSlam.
Aleister Black
It is far from a guarantee that Lesnar vs. Fury will be on the table for SummerSlam since Fury could be unwilling or unable to wrestle following his rematch with Wilder.
If that is the case, then WWE may have to consider some regular roster members as Lesnar's next opponent. Based on the way he has been built up over the past several months, Aleister Black is perhaps the most believable threat to The Beast.
Black has been virtually unbeatable as a singles competitor on Raw. His only one-on-one loss came to AJ Styles after he had already beaten Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows in successive matches, but Black got the win back over Styles at Elimination Chamber.
The Dutch Destroyer then went on to beat Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 36, which suggests he is ready to move further up the card.
Lashley has long been viewed as a potential Lesnar opponent because of their similarity in size, as well as the fact that both are well-versed in amateur wrestling and MMA. Perhaps that match will happen one day, but the person who beat Lashley may be a better opponent for Lesnar in the short term.
Although Black would be at a huge size disadvantage against Lesnar, he is among the most-feared strikers in WWE, and that could allow him to believably stand toe to toe with Lesnar.
Black has been impressive, but he has yet to truly be tested and get placed in a big spot. A match against Lesnar would be a good way for WWE to see whether Black is capable of being a main eventer and a top draw.
Even if Black were to lose to Lesnar, putting up a good fight against him and pushing him to the limit would improve Black's stock and possibly move him closer to world title contention.
Kevin Owens
Like Black, Kevin Owens is coming off a big win at WrestleMania, as he finally got past Seth Rollins after months of feuding.
Owens is arguably the most popular babyface on Raw, and a win over Rollins suggests he is ready for a step up in class. There are few bigger stars in WWE than Rollins, but Lesnar is one of them, and he would be a natural fit as an opponent for KO.
Not only does Owens have the size and brawling ability to hold his own against Lesnar, but he has also built something of an underdog persona, which would play well in a rivalry with The Beast. Owens is great on the mic as well, so he could have some entertaining promo battles with Paul Heyman.
Additionally, Owens proved at WrestleMania that he is willing to do anything to win, as he jumped off the WrestleMania sign and on to Rollins through the announce table.
Owens would likely have to do something similar to beat Lesnar, and the possibility of a big spot happening would ensure that the WWE Universe would be invested.
Vying for the WWE Championship would make sense for Owens, but since McIntyre is a babyface and being built into a top star, that rivalry probably won't happen in the near future.
Owens needs to go up against a big, nasty heel to keep his momentum going, and a clash with Lesnar at SummerSlam would be good for all parties involved.
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