Brock Lesnar’s meteoric rise in WWE in 2002 was punctuated by both his undeniable talent and a series of infamous incidents, including his involvement in the infamous ‘Plane Ride From Hell’.
This particular event, which occurred on May 5, 2002, following WWE’s Insurrextion PPV in London, has been shrouded in rumors and exaggerated tales for years.
One of the most persistent claims involved Lesnar and “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig nearly breaching the plane’s emergency exit during a physical altercation. However, according to a firsthand account, this dramatic narrative has now been firmly debunked.
The incident stemmed from a confrontation between Lesnar and Hennig, with varying versions of the story circulating over time. The most sensationalized accounts painted a picture of near-catastrophic danger, suggesting the wrestlers were on the verge of compromising the aircraft’s integrity.
However, JBL, who was present during the flight, offered a significantly different perspective on the ‘Something to Wrestle’ podcast.
JBL directly addressed the rumors, stating unequivocally that the emergency exit was never in genuine danger. He recounted the sequence of events, explaining, “Curt had boots on, Brock was barefoot, and Curt stomped him with his heel on Brock’s barefoot, and Brock goes (screams), throws him over his head.”
He then refuted the more sensationalized claims, saying, “But, in my opinion, there was never a concern about them going through the emergency exit. Never. Not one. I was standing right beside it. The captain didn’t come back and say, ‘Oh my God, you’re gonna go out the emergency exit.’ None of that happened.”
This clarification comes at a time when Lesnar’s professional future with WWE remains uncertain. Having last appeared at SummerSlam 2023 in a match against Cody Rhodes, Lesnar’s return is not imminent.
Furthermore, his name was mentioned in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis, a connection that has led WWE to distance themselves from the former Universal Champion.
