WWE legend says 23-year Brock Lesnar rumor is not true: "None of that happened"

Brock Lesnar quickly became one of WWE's top stars after debuting on the main roster in 2002. John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) recently addressed a rumor about The Beast Incarnate's involvement in a fight during his early days with the company.

On May 5, 2002, Lesnar fought fellow wrestler Curt Hennig on an airplane after WWE's Insurrextion event in London, England. Several versions of the story have been told over the years, with some wrestlers claiming the two men almost broke the emergency exit door.

JBL discussed the infamous flight, known as The Plane Ride from Hell, on the Something to Wrestle podcast. According to the WWE Hall of Famer, tales about Hennig and Lesnar nearly breaking the door are inaccurate.

"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," JBL said. "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." [1:32:37 – 1:33:01]

JBL added that the brawl began after Curt Hennig played a prank on Brock Lesnar by squirting shaving cream on his head.

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JBL on Dark Side of the Ring's Brock Lesnar vs. Curt Hennig story

In 2021, The Plane Ride from Hell was featured on an episode of the VICE show Dark Side of the Ring. Several former WWE names discussed the flight, including Jim Ross, Justin Credible, Rob Van Dam, and Tommy Dreamer.

Although he does not watch Dark Side of the Ring, JBL said he appreciates the producers' efforts to put the show together. He also implied that the severity of Brock Lesnar and Curt Hennig's fight had been blown out of proportion.

"If people had watched it and they have a different view of that and they thought there was a chance they'd go through, I can't read minds, but I was standing right there, and as far as the group that I was standing with, nobody was concerned they were gonna go through the exit or anything like that," JBL said. "They were just wrestling. They were playing. Stiff playing, but they were playing." [1:33:04 – 1:33:19]

Hennig, aka Mr. Perfect, passed away at age 44 in 2003. He was good friends with Brock Lesnar and often traveled with the then-rookie.

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