Brock Lesnar has said the WWE locker room has become considerably softer since his first run with the company, noting that when he came up through the business, he was tested by veterans and had to earn his respect the hard way. Speaking on Spittin Chiclets, Lesnar was asked about being tested during his initial WWE tenure and confirmed the experience while drawing a direct contrast with how things operate today.
“Yeah, definitely,” Lesnar said. “I was a shooter, an amateur guy. I had a lot of credentials to my name. Of course I got tested along the way by the old timers. You have to pay your dues. Back then, you paid your dues and you had to get your respect. It’s different now, obviously. Things have gotten a lot softer. There isn’t no more kangaroo courts. It’s different now but, I go there, I’m the old guy now.”
Lesnar’s amateur wrestling background made him a natural target for veterans looking to test new arrivals when he first arrived in WWE in the early 2000s. The kangaroo court system Lesnar references was a well-documented part of old-school locker room culture, in which veterans would hold informal trials to hold newer performers accountable for perceived violations of locker room etiquette or protocol.
Lesnar returned to WWE at the conclusion of SummerSlam 2025 after a period away following the mention of his name in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. He is currently set to face Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42, which takes place April 18 and 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Spittin Chiclets with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.