Breakin' Down Bobby's Business

So...plenty of stories out there on this whole "Lashley wants out" story that broke two weeks ago.

Apparently the thing that has had Bobby bitter for the last half year was his WrestleMania payoff. Lashley picked up $250,000 for Mania which isn't in line with a top payday at the company's biggest show. Lashley felt his match - that featured the Donald Trump angle, was THE money maker at 'Mania and he deserved a much bigger payoff. Hold on to your hats - he's hinting racism.

Message to Bobby - there ain't a damn thing racist going on. You're green as fuck dude. You were handing that spot because the fed was trying to manufacture you into a star. To their credit, they did a pretty good job.

Anyone could have played that role. It didn't really make sense to have the ECW Champion with that spot, but they handed it to him anyway.

In 2005, Lashley was an OVW guy who many doubted had the "heart" to make it on the road.. Less than a year later the company had him integrated as a massive psrt of the product.

Lashley made a LOT of money in that company and it wasn't because of his overwhelming talent or years of persistance and hard work. It was straight up handed to him.

Lashley is also hot about the way his real life girlfriend Kristal Marshall was treated by WWE after refusing to do an angle that made her feel uncomfortable. She was fired shortly after saying she wouldn't cooperate with a particular angle that she described as 'racist'.

I hate to say this - but - if Bobby is hot over the way Kristal was released - why didn't he ask for his release then. MONTHS ago?

Lashley's also been pissed because he was sitting at home healing from an injury but has been medically cleared to return since Survivor Series time. He's been trying to contact Vince McMahon and has little-to-no communication with him. Word on the street is Triple H was in Vince's ear telling him to hold off on the former ECW / United States Champ.

Lashley was officially released on February 4th. What isn't clear were the terms of releaase on his no-compete clause. One WWE worker told me last night that many contracts in the post-Lesnar era are VERY specific about no-compete clauses should the worker decide to stop coming to work. If that holds up in court, Lashley could be looking at 4 years of no-compete for any wrestling or MMA promotion.

Despite this fact, Lashley has joined the San Diego KickBoxing Academy and Zinkin Entertainment and Sports Management. Zinkin currently represent Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Mike Swick and Josh Koshcheck.

Lashley had teased a run in MMA and this is a strong indication that he plans on moving full speed ahead on it.

Jim Ross had this to say on the Bobby Lashley situation:

I have read where the WWE and Bobby Lashley have come to terms of a contractual release. I did not take the time to discuss this matter with any WWE officials the past few weeks, but things like this don't surprise me now days as they perhaps once would have. Lashley is a genuine physical specimen who is supremely gifted athletically, but much like Brock Lesnar, Bobby apparently did not like the travel demands of being a pro wrestler in today's marketplace, nor do I think that Bobby ever fully understood the business of sports entertainment, which added to Lashley's consternation at times. Financially, Bobby had a superb, hell fantastic, 2007, one of the best I can ever recall for any one at his stage of the game.

In my personal opinion, if a pundit speculates that Bobby did not do well or wasn't treated fairly financially, I would dispute that uninformed statement wholeheartedly. Bobby is apparently in a relationship with Krystal Marshall, another former WWE performer, and I wish them well. The business of sports entertainment isn't for everyone and sometimes people don't realize that until they have put in some time on the road and spending in the locker room community.

My personal philosophy is that "wrestling relationships" rarely, not never, but rarely make it long term and if it is true that Lashley and Marshall want to have a life together, perhaps being in another line of work will work better for them. Lashley vs. Lesnar some day in the UFC is intriguing, as Bobby definitely has the background to have a fighting chance to make it as a MMA star, if Lashley chooses to go that route, with the proper training. But that's just me doing some fantasy booking.

It'll be interesting to see what Lashley's next step is and if he does end up in court with the fed fighting his no-compete.

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