Former WWE World Champion says he wants to change his style after "hated" storyline

WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley says he wants to revert back to his previous persona in the company after seemingly putting the Lana and Rusev storyline behind him.

Lashley has spent much of the last six months of his career embroiled in a sensational scandal-based storyline in WWE programming, stealing the wife of Rusev, Lana, before marrying her himself!

In the midst of all of that, fans saw a very different side of Lashley, whose character appeared to delight in frolicking with a married woman - not least of course courtesy of those very public and very graphic displays of public affection.

The storyline received a mixed reception from fans, but it appears that the 43-year-old himself feels differently. Lashley said in an interview with Matty Paddock for the Mirror that fans "hated" the angle.

What's more, the former world champion also indicated that he was far from at his most comfortable with the storyline, either, insisting that he was far more at home in playing the intense, power-based character that had served him so well in previous years, not least in WWE and other professional wrestling organisations, but in real life, too.

Admitting that the last few months were just a chance for him to show "different dimensions" of his charater and abilities, he's now vowing to get back to basics.

Reflecting on the Rusev/Lana angle, he said:

"I've gotta be brutally honest, they hated it, and they hated me. But you know what? You have got to be more than one-dimensional, and some of the stuff I did this year was just trying to show different dimensions, that's all. I came from a military background... In those places, you don't go out running your mouth saying 'I'm this, I'm that' - I've never been that person. I've always been the person to shut up and train, and you show your abilities by showing up to train and fight... I like both styles, but my preference would be that hardcore, head down, focused 'Rocky' fighter, going for the title."

Lashley is busy enough this weekend, of course. The former ECW Champion wrestles Aleister Black at WWE WrestleMania 36.

The event airs from the WWE Performance Center across the weekend of 4th and 5th April.