Brock Lesnar’s early days in professional wrestling were marked by immense physical talent but also controversial backstage behavior. During his time at Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), Lesnar’s interactions with colleagues, including an infamous incident with Jim Cornette and his wife, revealed a side of the future WWE superstar that many may not know.
Jim Cornette shares the story of the time he threatened Brock Lesnar during their OVW days. Photo Credit: WWE.
Early Controversies in OVW: Brock Lesnar’s Disrespect Towards Jim Cornette and His Wife
Jim Cornette recalls the moment Brock Lesnar squeezed his wife, Synn, in OVW, leading to an infamous backstage confrontation. Photo Credit: WWE.
Jim Cornette explained on his podcast, The Jim Cornette Experience, what Brock Lesnar did to bring a firearm into the equation.
"Brock and Shelton were working with the Disciples of Synn,” he began, “and my lovely wife, who was Synn, managed a stable consisting of Damien, Slash, and Payne. They were veterans who could work with these young greenhorns and hopefully teach them timing and something in the ring."
A Press Slam Gone Wrong: Lesnar’s Encounter with Synn, Jim Cornette’s Wife
The Disciples of Synn were part of Brock Lesnar and Shelton Benjamin’s opponents during their OVW run. Photo Credit: WWE.
"One of the big highlights of their matches was that Brock would give Synn a press slam,” Jim Cornette continued. “She loved to take bumps and took them great.
"She got so much heat that even though it was a 280-pound man press-slamming a 5’4" woman, the people threw babies in the air because she was just that good at getting heat, especially live."
"She gets heat with me at my house. And it brought the house down at Freedom Hall during their dark match at a WWE taping.
“It was sold out, 18,000 people, and one of the biggest reactions of the night came during the match, where Brock Lesnar and Shelton Benjamin defeated the Disciples of Synn after Brock gave her this giant press slam."
Backstage Reaction: Jim Cornette Confronts Lesnar
Jim Cornette with his wife Stacey (AKA Synn). Photo Credit: WWE.
"So, having said that, I called it on an OVW TV one night. I said to Brock, ‘You press slam her, and blah blah blah.’
"Stacy (Synn), and she wouldn’t mind me saying this because she’s open with everybody, had just had certain parts of her anatomy pierced… and those parts would be where Brock’s right hand went during the press slam. So, you can do the math on that.
"She told Brock earlier, ‘Hey, when you press slam me, take care of the nether regions down there because I just had these piercings done.’"
"Now, we used to have some problems with Brock. He was respectful to me and Danny Davis because we were his coaches, but he was still one of those college jocks who had always been catered to because of his athletic status."
Lesnar’s History of Bullying and Backstage Intimidation
Shelton Benjamin and Brock Lesnar formed a dominant tag team during their time in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) in the early 2000s. Photo Credit: WWE.
According to Jim Cornette, Brock Lesnar’s attitude extended beyond the ring and into the backstage area, where his behavior towards those he deemed beneath him often created tension.
Jim recalls incidents highlighting this, including how Lesnar bullied referees and the ring crew, explaining, "He would bully the referees, and he’d bully the ring crew. He even made one of our referees cry one time."
"He also went at my best friend Kenny Bolin one time because he was flirting in an innocent way with Brock’s girlfriend at the time, not Sable. Brock comes out, cuts a promo on him, cusses him, and shoves him. He just made a [fool] out of himself because anyone that was a coach or had some standing, Brock would respect."
Cornette added, "Still, anybody that he felt was below him, the water boy on the team, you get the idea—a college jock, he would belittle and berate."
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The Incident with Synn: Tensions Boil Over Between Lesnar and Cornette’s Wife
Jim Cornette discusses Brock Lesnar’s backstage behavior, noting his tendency to belittle those beneath him. Photo Credit: WWE.
Cornette elaborated further about a specific incident involving his wife, Stacy, also known as Synn. "He’s telling Stacy all day, ‘I’m gonna, when I getcha, I’m gonna squeeze it.’ And she’s like, ‘Brother, don’t do that!’"
But Lesnar didn’t listen. "So what happens when you know who won the pony, he goes and gives her the press slam, and he clamps down and squeezes with his right hand! Now she’s got an incredible tolerance for pain."
"In California, she actually broke her ankle in both bones to the point that it turned sideways but still finished the match. But she came in completely crying and squealing, and when he got back, there was more crying, squealing, and yelling, and they were cutting a promo on each other."
A Heated Argument Escalates
Jim Cornette, pictured here with Vince McMahon and Jose Lothario, during his time in the WWE. Photo Credit: WWE.
"She doesn’t mind telling someone what she thinks of them; that’s why we’re married. So, she’s cussing him, he’s cussing her, and I hear all this commotion. I go back there, and I’m like, ‘What the [heck]?’"
"She tells me, ‘He’s been saying all day he’s gonna do it, and he did it. I asked him not to and to take care of it, and he went ahead and did it anyway. **** this guy.’"
"And he’s saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t mean to do it. I was just kidding, blah, blah, blah.’ And then, in the process, he says ‘**** you’ to her in front of me."
"That’s when I had to say, ‘Look, ************, you need to know this now. Don’t say **** you to her in front of me because I won’t fight you; I will shoot you!’"
Jim Cornette’s Candid Thoughts on Brock Lesnar’s Attitude
Jim Cornette explains the repercussions of Lesnar’s actions, including his warning not to disrespect his wife. Photo Credit: WWE.
“Here’s what he didn’t realize. Because he had been protected and pampered and made over for so long, nobody is gonna fight Brock Lesnar if he mouths off and runs his [tongue] about people or two people or whatever – nobody is gonna fight him. They’re just gonna pull out a [firearm] and shoot him.”
“Would you fight Brock Lesnar? No! He’s a beast, he’s a genetic freak, and nobody’s gonna fight him.
“But, if he said the wrong thing to the wrong person, they’re gonna shoot him. I don’t care how tough he is; he ain’t gonna nip up after a [firearm] shot to the head.”
So I said, ‘Don’t say **** you to her in front of me, or I will shoot you.’ He was disrespecting somebody in the wrestling business that he was supposed to take care of.
I also said, ‘If you’re gonna rib somebody and tell em’ all day you’re gonna do something, you better make sure you don’t do it, because why would they believe that you didn’t mean to do it when you’ve been telling em’ all day that you’re gonna do it?’
Lessons in Respect: Cornette’s Wisdom for Lesnar
Jim Cornette offers some hard truths to Brock Lesnar. Photo Credit: WWE.
"I then said, ‘And thirdly, don’t disrespect me by telling my girlfriend,’ at the time, now my wife, ‘in front of me **** you because then you’ve brought me into it. This is not business; this is personal. I will not fight you; I will shoot you.’
"The sooner you learn these things, the better off you’re gonna be in the wrestling business because nobody’s gonna fight you. But if you [upset] somebody bad enough and you’re in an outlaw locker room or an independent show, you’re very liable to get shot.’
"So then he goes to Danny Davis, saying [in a whiny upset voice], ‘Jim said he was gonna shoot me blah blah blah,’ and Danny said, ‘Well, what did you think was gonna happen?’
"Anyway, I called them together at Six Flags the next week, brought them into the locker room corner, and they apologized to each other and shook hands for the good of the locker room.
"There couldn’t be two people more different than me and Brock Lesnar. I recognize his talent and athletic ability, but we used to call him ‘Block Lesnar’ down here in OVW for a reason—because he’s a meathead, and I don’t like him as a person."
Lesnar’s OVW Legacy: From Controversy to Stardom
A young Brock Lesnar before his WWE debut. Photo Credit: WWE.
The stories that emerged from those early days—like those involving Brock Lesnar—highlight the unique challenges and rivalries that shaped their paths.
With a locker room filled with such immense talent and personalities, it must have been an unforgettable environment.
Brock Lesnar’s time at OVW was just the beginning of a storied career, one marked by both controversy and undeniable stardom.
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Braeden Farrell is a senior writer for Pro Wrestling Stories. He is a long-time fan of wrestling based out of Adelaide, Australia. He can be reached on Twitter @braedenfazza.
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