The Complete History of the WWE Championship - Part 12

Brock Lesnar (September 16, 2003 - February 15, 2004)

Brock Lesnar: Clashed with The Undertaker again with the WWE Championship at stake

Brock Lesnar's separation from the WWE Championship was brief.

After failing to regain the strap from Kurt Angle in a terrific collision at SummerSlam, he fought Angle again under Ironman rules on the September 16, 2003 episode of SmackDown.

It was a compelling encounter and cemented Lesnar as the top star on the SmackDown brand.

The champion was pitted against The Undertaker once more. He defeated the Deadman in a Biker Chain on a Pole match at No Mercy on October 19, 2003. Not a patch on their collisions a year earlier, it was nevertheless an entertaining encounter.

Lesnar next segued into a feud with long-time opening card act, Hardcore Holly, which culminated in a bout at the 2004 Royal Rumble. Despite it being two-month feud, which was based on a real-life injury Lesnar had accidentally inflicted on Holly the previous year, the feud ending collision lasted a paltry six minutes.

Despite an incredible push during his two years as part of the main roster and three World title reigns, Lesnar was fast tiring of the relentless schedule and long travel hours. Lesnar found the grind so off-putting that he requested WWE drastically reduce his schedule.

WWE refused to yield to Lesnar's demands, feeling as if the youngster had already had preferential treatment. Lesnar dropped the title to Eddie Guerrero in an upset at No Way Out on February 15, 2004, and three weeks later handed in his notice to WWE.

Six days later, Lesnar left the company. He would not return for eight years until the April 2, 2012 episode of RAW.