The Brock Lesnar win in Turin exposes a repetitive creative cycle

The Turin spectacle lacks long-term vision

The decision to have Brock Lesnar defeat Oba Femi at Clash in Italy on May 31, 2026, feels like a tactical misfire in the broader context of WWE's roster development. While Lesnar remains an attraction, the move essentially neutralizes the momentum Femi built during their previous encounter. Watching Lesnar execute seven F5s to secure the win after previously losing to the same opponent signals a return to a familiar, albeit stalling, booking pattern.

WWE continues to lean on established legends to steer premium live events, but the math does not always add up. As reported by Ringside News, the reaction to the finish in Turin was noticeably sour. Femi represents the future of the heavyweight division; having him absorbed into a cycle of rematches against a part-time star does little to establish his ceiling. The narrative utility of the match was limited solely to bringing Lesnar back into the win column rather than elevating the person tasked with carrying the promotion forward.

The paradox of the full-time loyalist

AJ Styles, recently vocal about his standing in the organization, provides an interesting counterpoint to the Lesnar debate. Styles has been vocal about his frustration with labels like 'company guy' for defending the current creative trajectory. However, his list of five preferred final opponents—which includes names like Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels—highlights a generational friction. Styles is looking toward legacy preservation, while the promotion is forced to juggle the reality of Lesnar returning from retirement.

This creates a friction point for the wider audience. If the promotion remains tethered to stars from previous eras to fill main event slots at shows like Clash in Italy, the path for the current roster becomes increasingly narrow. Styles, at least, is aware of the optics. He knows that his proximity to management decisions draws fire from a segment of the fanbase that views every strategic pivot as a lack of creativity.

The Ring General's standing invitation

Perhaps the only interesting sub-plot surfacing from this current creative malaise is GUNTHER’s public interest in a program with Lesnar. GUNTHER, who has systematically dismantled other legends, is actively campaigning to be the one to permanently retire the former champion. This is a match that actually makes sense from both a stylistic and a transactional perspective. If Lesnar is going to be used, he should be testing himself against the most consistent worker on the roster rather than re-litigating feuds that have already peaked.

Of course, desiring a program and booking it are two different logistical efforts. GUNTHER understands that a victory over Lesnar would cement his current level of dominance in a way that beating standard challengers cannot. It serves a functional purpose, provided the creative team has the discipline to execute it properly. The failure in Turin was not the presence of Lesnar, but the lack of an immediate, tangible benefit for the talent who stepped into the ring with him.

Moving forward, the booking needs to avoid this kind of 'break glass in case of emergency' strategy. Fans are intelligent enough to see when a match exists to correct a previous booking decision rather than to advance a plot. The current roster is deeper than it has been in a decade, and treating the main event scene like a recursive loop is a fast track to diminishing returns on otherwise credible rising stars. Whether the creative team acknowledges this tension will be the defining factor of the next twelve months.