I owe Lashley An Apology

 

You know how as a wrestling fan there are certain wrestlers with all the tools, but your response to them is always eh? That was me with The Almighty Bobby Lashley, during his first run in WWE I honestly wasn't a fan. I felt he was just a big muscular guy who had the "look" and nothing else. He didn't scream a star to me, his matches were OK he often came off awkward, and he didn't have any charisma. I just couldn't understand why the WWE was pushing him as the face of their ECW brand.

He left the WWE in 2008 to pursue a career in the MMA field, where he actually was successful enough to gain a contract with Bellator. I don't follow the MMA scene much, but when I would hear about his success I would say "good for him" and go about my day. He moved to TNA/Impact where he was built up there as well, Winning the X-Division championship, being in a high-profile feud with the Main Event Mafia and having the always fine Kristal Marshall by his side.

He left TNA only to return a few years later teaming with MVP and Kenny King and later the BDC (Beat Down Clan). Here is where we started to see the genesis of the Lashley we know today, but I was still eh on him. He left again and came back, this time incorporating his MMA background more into his character to great success. He left once more to return to the WWE in 2018.

A lot of fans were happy to see his return, but I could not understand the hype. His partnership with Lio Rush had potential and it's where the Almighty nickname originated from, but the bending over so folks could see "Almighty" on his trunks were lame. Let's not get into the debacle of his "marriage" with Lana.

Then in 2020 MVP returned to the WWE and eventually the two partnered up and The Hurt Business was born once Shelton Benjamin and later Cedric Alexander joined the fold. Now I am a huge MVP mark and think Shelton and Cedric are very underrated. The four of them together came off as complete badasses and that's when my opinion started to turn the tide.

I paid more attention to his matches and noticed they were actually good. I noticed he started to get more comfortable on the mic, and he was being presented as a man not to fuck with. When he won the WWE championship, I was ecstatic as could be. Then when I watched his Broken Skull interview my opinion really changed.

I learned he's an accomplished yet humble and quiet guy, who has successful businesses on the side. That good representation and the image of The Hurt Business as successful Black businessmen dressed to the nines in custom made suits was important to him. As opposed to typical depictions of groups of Black males, how could I not support a guy like that?

I owe an apology to Bobby Lashley for underestimating and undermining his talent and accomplishments all these years. Sometimes your blinded by first impressions as a wrestling fan just like in other life scenarios. Lashley has my full support forever.

Lashley faces Brock Lesnar tonight at The Royal Rumble for the WWE Championship.