Former WWE Superstar Zach Gowen comments on his own release from WWE back in 2004 (Exclusive)

Zach Gowen is a memorable figure in WWE's history especially during the peak of the Ruthless Aggression Era. His match against Brock Lesnar was particularly important as it kicked off The Beast Incarnate's heel run.

However, Gowen worked with the WWE for only a brief period of time from 2003-2004. He was released a few months later after suffering an injury which prevented him from returning to television.

Contract terminations and releases are not uncommon for WWE, especially in the COVID-19 era. WWE has released close to 30 superstars in just 2021 alone, including Braun Strowman, Aleister Black and Lana.

When asked about his thoughts on the recent uprise in releases on WWE's part and what exactly happened throughout the process, Gowen recalled his own release from way back in 2004. He recalled having major heat surrounding him and how he wasn't mentally ready for the spotlight.

"I had an extreme amount of heat and there were rumors going around that they were going to let me go. So I wasn't caught completely off guard. The short and sweet of it is that my foundation wasn't secure enough to handle that amount of success at that age. There was no one to blame but myself for that. "

He added,

"You can't blame WWE for signing me after only 20 matches, less than a year into the wrestling business. You can't blame them for giving me an opportunity to share my story and giving me a platform to connect with an audience. Obviously they're a business and they want to make money and the fact of the matter it's just that simple..I wasn't able to receive the gift that was given to me. I hadn't worked hard enough or sacrificed long enough to receive that gift." said Zach Gowen

It was tough for Zach Gowen to cope with the reality of the situation, but nevertheless he moved on and claims to have learnt from the experience altogether.

Zach Gowen enjoyed working with former WWE Superstar Brock Lesnar

The highlight of Zach Gowen's career with WWE was most likely his match against Brock Lesnar. It was a match that saw Lesnar completely dominate and destroy Gowen, who is notably a one-legged competitor, having had his left leg amputated when he was eight years old.

In what can be described as one of the most difficult matches to watch in WWE's history, Brock Lesnar pulled out all the stops. In true heel fashion, he destroyed Zach Gowen even before the match had started.

Brock Lesnar wishing my mom a very happy Mother's Day pic.twitter.com/nXs1x2FLlD

— Zach Gowen (@ZachGowen) May 12, 2019

Despite losing the match, Zach Gowen fondly remembers his work with The Beast Incarnate and even considers it the kickstarter for Lesnar's run as a heel.

What were your thoughts on the match between Brock Lesnar and Zach Gowen? Was it career defining for both men? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.