If you weren't convinced Brock Lesnar has evolved into an even more dangerous beast, the sound of WWE COO Triple H screaming in agony on Raw SuperShow should've done the trick.
One night after injuring John Cena's left arm with the Kimura Lock at Extreme Rules, the uncontrollable giant broke The Game's distal humerus using the same painful arm lock. All it took was two demonstrations for Brock's newest weapon to become more dreaded than the F-5.
It's no surprise Brock is utilizing a Brazilian jiu-jitsu maneuver to wreak havoc in his return to WWE. The former UFC heavyweight champion studied under Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts Erik Paulson and Greg Nelson as part of his training in the world of mixed martial arts. However, Lesnar never actually got a chance to showcase that devastating Kimura Lock in any of his UFC bouts. Using the submission to inflict bodily harm on his opponents is fresh, frightening territory for the behemoth.
When Brock first exploded onto the WWE scene in 2002, his arsenal could be summed up in two words: brute force (VIDEO). He routinely impressed with the technical skills he harnessed as an NCAA Division I wrestling champion, but what set him apart as a rare breed was his freakish strength and appetite for destruction. The F-5, a move that catapults Superstars like the most ferocious type of tornado, became his calling card of carnage.
A decade later, the F-5 is still very much at the core of Lesnar's punishing move set, but it's the Kimura Lock that may prove harder for WWE competitors to escape because not every Superstar is well-versed in knowing how to adapt to submissions more frequently used in MMA. Look no further than The Undertaker's Hell's Gate for an example of how one of these maneuvers can completely catch the entire WWE off guard. In 2008, The Phenom first began to use the modified gogoplata, and the submission caused so much damage that then-SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero banned it for the sake of protecting other performers from getting injured. Most Superstars have two options once they're locked into Hell's Gate: tap out or pass out.
The difference with Lesnar's Kimura Lock? There is no choice. Brock is not satisfied with making his foes tap or pass out; he wants to put them out of commission for good. If he's already left Cena in a sling and Triple H with a fractured arm, what makes us think he'll show mercy on anyone else who stands in his way?
Version 2.0 of Brock Lesnar is beginning to look twice as scary as the first.