10 People Brock Lesnar Is Actually Friends With (And 10 Who Can't Stand Him)

As one of the biggest stars of the 2000s, it is only natural for the controversial Brock Lesnar to have various relationships in the industry. Known for being an extremely private person, the majority of fans are well aware by now about Lesnar's unique personality. He isn't exactly the easiest person to get along since he happens to be far from outgoing, preferring to avoid the spotlight whenever possible. And while Lesnar may not be the friendliest wrestler on the roster, he did manage to make several friends along the way.

There are some fans who believe that Lesnar doesn't care the slightest about the wrestling industry or his peers, and may not expect him to have many associates. But as this list will show, Lesnar is much more popular in the WWE locker room than urban legends would suggest. Lesnar seems to get along more with the older wrestlers as he has been mostly spotted hanging out with his peers from the early 2000s.

And as all readers know, Lesnar hasn't been a stranger to controversy as he has been involved into numerous incidents that made him lose some friends. From shoot interviews to backstage issues, Lesnar has clearly made several enemies during his WWE career - some of whom still hold a grudge against him to this day. With today's list, we bring you an intriguing topic as we look at 10 people Brock Lesnar is actually friends with and 10 who can't stand him:

20 Friends: Goldberg

Considering their athletic backgrounds, Goldberg and Brock Lesnar appeared to instantly get along. They may not have been the closest friends but there was certainly more of a relationship between them as compared to most of the roster. Both men have very few close friends in the industry, so it is no coincidence that they have always gotten along. Upon Goldberg's return to the WWE, Lesnar was more than happy to work with him again following their WrestleMania XX match. Not only that...

When initial plans had Goldberg losing in his comeback match, Lesnar played a part in changing the outcome.

That should tell you how much these two Superstars respect each other, as they have been willing to work together - despite having a reputation for being somewhat difficult to deal with from time to time. But they do share some things in common such as their background in football, as well as their mutual distant personality. There are times when two Superstars instantly click behind the scenes, which certainly helps their on-screen chemistry as evident by their latest feud. Despite having had one of the most intense rivalries in recent history, those two get along very well in real life.

19 Can't Stand Him: Matt Hardy

If Matt Hardy could go back in time, he would probably delete Brock Lesnar. In a recent interview, he spoke out about past problems between them that led to a sour relationship. Upon joining the WWE, Lesnar was dubbed as The Next Big Thing, destroying everyone and everything in his way - including Matt Hardy. After having been booked to hit Lesnar with a chair shot to his upper back, Hardy admits that his aiming was completely off as he ended up hitting his head.

As you can imagine, Lesnar wasn't too pleased about the spot and confronted Hardy behind the scenes - going as far as to try to fight him before being stopped by Vince McMahon. There were already some issues between the two Superstars with Hardy claiming that Lesnar didn't care to make him look good at all during their matches, adding that he was only going in business for himself. There were many other Superstars who also felt that way at the time as Lesnar was attempting to rise to the top as quick as possible. And he did manage to do so in a very short period to become the most dominant force in the WWE.

18 Friends: CM Punk

You wouldn't expect these two Superstars to get along based on their personalities and attitude. But it seems like when you put two men who have had problems with the WWE in one room, then a friendship is born. CM Punk and Lesnar may not be hanging out often - if ever - but there is tremendous respect between the two competitors as evident by their personal interviews. And when Punk was preparing for his UFC debut, he received full support from Lesnar who was willing to help him out in training and by giving him additional tips as well.

Seeing how that fight turned out, then it's safe to say that Lesnar could have helped Punk in his campaign.

While working a storyline together in the WWE, there were some fans who thought that tension may rise between them since Punk wasn't very fond of part-time competitors.

And while he may be claiming that on the mic, Punk did become friends with both Lesnar and The Rock - who were the main culprits at the time. It seems that Punk's issue was more with WWE's use of part-timers, rather than the part-timers themselves. This friendship goes to show how unpredictable it can be to guess which WWE Superstars are friends when the cameras aren't rolling.

17 Can't Stand Him: Braun Strowman

Earlier this year, WWE booked one of the most random triple threat matches of all-time when Brock Lesnar was scheduled to defend the WWE Universal Championship against Kane and Braun Strowman at the 2018 Royal Rumble. The outcome was a controversial match that turned into somewhat of a shoot, as Lesnar and Strowman traded some major blows during the match - including a punch from Lesnar that would have probably knocked out any other Superstar.

Lesnar was visibly frustrated during the Rumble triple threat match, believing that Strowman had gotten stiff with him.

As a result, Lesnar behaved as we have previously seen, but luckily for him and the company, Strowman was strong enough to handle it. And while Strowman only commented on the incident by attempting to blow it off - claiming that matters are bound to get heated when you have two of the strongest men in the ring - rumors suggest that there was definitely heat between them. But considering Strowman's push, he probably realized that it is best to remain quiet and let the incident pass by. The company was probably not going to side with him against their biggest draw, even if Strowman was right in their conflict.

16 Friends: Billy Gunn

Brock Lesnar being friends with Billy Gunn seems highly unlikely for most WWE fans, but they have had a great relationship over the years. It goes back to Lesnar's younger years when he was still trying to establish himself in the WWE, and he happened to work with Gunn every now and then. They would end up on SmackDown together for some time to become travel buddies for a brief period. And while their relationship may be strictly professional, that is more than we could say about Lesnar's attitude towards most wrestlers. The photo above was recently snapped backstage at a WWE show, reuniting them together for one snap.

Unlike Lesnar, Gunn has made plenty of friends in the industry, and seems to be easy going overall, so it's no surprise that him and Lesnar are on good terms. Plus, if Gunn was going to make any enemies, do you think he'd want Lesnar to be one of them?

Considering their status in the WWE, they do form an odd friendship - Lesnar is one of the biggest stars in wrestling history while Gunn is a mid-carder at best. But wrestling accomplishments don't always determine which Superstars are close behind the scenes, although it may play a part from time to time.

15 Can't Stand Him: Triple H

When Brock Lesnar was beating so many members of the roster early in his career, Triple H wasn't particularly keen to work with him. There were reports that he even rejected doing so, as he didn't want to put Lesnar over like all the others had.

In a span of one year, Lesnar had went over some of the biggest names in wrestling history, including The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle and The Undertaker. Meanwhile, Triple H was reigning over Raw by going over everyone while having some lengthy title runs. And yet their paths never crossed early on due to Triple H's personal wishes, which he expressed once again when Vince McMahon proposed a WrestleMania 21 match against Lesnar.

But a lot has changed since Lesnar's first run with the WWE, including Triple H's role in the WWE - as he is now willing to put his personal beefs aside to do what is best for business.

And while they finally did work together, it didn't seem like they bonded at all and kept it professional for the most part. Triple H's past feelings towards Lesnar are certainly not enough for him to attempt to push him out of the company.

14 Friends: Paul Heyman

Paul Heyman has been Brock Lesnar's associate from the very beginning, declaring him as The Next Big Thing in the WWE. He certainly played a huge role in getting him over with the fans, and remains as vital as ever with his current promos. There was a time when the pair split up as Lesnar embarked on a solo run, but it was always clear that he needed a manager since his mic skills were underwhelming to say the least. And that's exactly why WWE brought Heyman back into the mix when Lesnar came back to the company.

Not only do they have great on-screen chemistry, but they have also gotten very close in real life. Heyman was able to do what everyone else failed to do in developing a true friendship with Lesnar, while earning his trust along the way. Not only have they worked together on different projects outside of the WWE, but their families also happen to be close to each other. In fact Heyman said a lot of what they bond over is talking about fatherhood.

Lesnar isn't the type of wrestler who hangs out with many people, especially when it comes to wrestlers, but Heyman has become a major part of Lesnar's personal life as well.

13 Can't Stand Him: Hardcore Holly

What almost turned out to be a career ending injury presented Hardcore Holly with the biggest opportunity of his career. As usual, WWE decided to turn a real life incident into a storyline when they brought back Holly to avenge himself for the neck injury previously caused by Lesnar on SmackDown. And since Lesnar was the WWE Champion at a time when the roster was very thin to say the least, Holly was named as the number one contender for the WWE title at the 2004 Royal Rumble. It caught a few off guard, as no one had ever pictured Holly as a main eventer.

The forgettable match was the biggest moment of Holly's career, who was never over enough to be in the main event.

Holly seems to have a more positive outlook on the situation, as accidents do happen in wrestling, but previous reports indicated that he was upset with Lesnar for botching the move. And of course that resulted in a debate with some blaming Holly for sabotaging the move and Lesnar along the way, which he always denied. Although the injury did give Holly a chance to be in the main event, it was also very costly as he remained out of action for several months.

12 Friends: The Rock

In 2002, it was clear that Brock Lesnar was going to climb his way to the top of the mountain since he ran through the entire roster from legendary Superstars to main eventers. Some did have issues with Lesnar's huge push and often complained about it, but there were some who were very supportive. Among them was The Rock who was the WWE Champion at a time when the company wanted to put the belt on Lesnar. It didn't take long until they worked a program together for SummerSlam 2002 with Lesnar coming out vicious.

He has credited The Rock for assisting him during that period, as well as being extremely helpful behind the scenes. To this day, the two Superstars remain on great terms as they always display the highest praise towards each other. Over the past few years, The Rock has always mentioned Lesnar's name as someone he would like to work with again in the WWE. And since that is probably the biggest draw match that could be done at the moment, we may see it come to fruition in the future as both would likely be open to work another angle. That is, if The Rock's schedule ever got lighter.

11 Can't Stand Him: Ken Shamrock

There is no personal beef between Brock Lesnar and Ken Shamrock, but the latter has repeatedly thrown shots over the years. Since Lesnar's transition to an MMA fighter, Shamrock has always had some salty comments regarding him, especially when their journeys are always compared to each other. Shamrock has called out Lesnar a number of times, claiming that he would easily beat him a real fight. And while Shamrock's challenge has gone unanswered, he hasn't given up on getting on Lesnar's nerves as he insists on repeating the same trash talk.

Shamrock has even suggested that he would love to return to the WWE to get a shot at Lesnar's Universal title, believing that is the only belt he is missing from his career. Shamrock seems to have developed some bitter feelings towards Lesnar for his success in both the WWE and UFC, which is understandable since he did it first, although not quite as successfully. Shamrock was surely a better fighter in his prime who boasted an impressive record until his 2000 return, and yet he was never as big of a draw as Lesnar. And that's not to compare their WWE careers which would be totally unfair for Shamrock.

10 Friends: Kurt Angle

Their relationship had its ups and downs over the years, but Kurt Angle has been one of Brock Lesnar's closest friends during the course of their careers. In WWE, they worked together for quite some time and eventually developed a close friendship, although some tensions would eventually arise between them. But as always, they would resolve their issues and return to being on good terms. Whenever they stepped inside the squared circle, they always brought the best out of each other. Their on-screen chemistry came as a result of their real life friendship, which grew fast thanks to their time together on SmackDown.

As two fierce competitors who aspired to be the absolute best, it was only normal for them to get along based on similar traits.

As of today, they remain friends in real life and have recently reunited once again as both happen to be on Monday Night Raw. During the period between Lesnar's first WWE stint and prior to his UFC run, Angle was one of the few wrestling figures who kept touch with him and maintained a great relationship. Not much has changed between them as their respect towards each other remain as high as it gets.

9 Can't Stand Him: John Cena

In 2003, Brock Lesnar and John Cena worked with each other for a few weeks - resulting in some underwhelming matches and an intense rivalry behind the scenes. At the time, Lesnar was trying to retain his position as the top guy in the company while Cena was still trying to find his place in WWE - which didn't produce a high quality program to say the least. With both Superstars having personal agendas and not cooperating inside the ring, it transpired into personal tension between them. And while they have never confronted each other or clashed in real life, there have been rumors that the two Superstars aren't exactly fond of each other.

But they did put their personal differences from the past aside to work once again as Lesnar made his return to WWE back in 2012. Their most recent on-screen feud hasn't brought them closer to each other although they have maintained a professional relationship. There was a time when their differences could have led to some serious problems. But as time passed by, and they were separated for nearly a decade with Lesnar's departure from WWE, it seems like they have let bygones by bygones.

8 Friends: Shelton Benjamin

Brock Lesnar was joined by several future WWE Superstars in his OVW class, including John Cena, Randy Orton and Shelton Benjamin. He didn't get along that well with the first two as it was Benjamin whom he immediately clicked with. And it's been reported that Lesnar helped him get signed by the WWE to a full-time contract, as he quickly established himself on the main roster. While Lesnar was already the reigning WWE Champion, Benjamin was just getting started on the main roster, but that didn't affect their relationship.

Not only did they share a unique bond behind the scenes, but it extended to their personal lives as Lesnar would name Benjamin as the godfather for his two older kids.

What some may not know is that Lesnar and Benjamin had been roommates during their time in college, and shared several hobbies and interests at the time. But their time in OVW brought them even closer on a personal level since they were both trying to make it to the WWE, while pushing each other as hard as possible. Looking back on what they have accomplished, it's safe to say that both Superstars have come a long way from their OVW days.

7 Can't Stand Him: Randy Orton

Fans had always hoped to see Brock Lesnar take on Randy Orton although that appeared to be unlikely when the former left the company in 2004. And it occurred just as Orton was quickly rising through the ranks, which may have resulted in a future rivalry with Lesnar. They had trained together in OVW although they weren't close even back in their younger days. But their relationship truly took a turn for the worst following their long awaited match at SummerSlam 2016. It was Lesnar's devastating elbow that led to internal conflicts with Orton, who wasn't too pleased about the shot after the contest.

Following the match, there were some high tensions backstage as several Superstars, including Chris Jericho, stepped up to defend Orton. But WWE officials stepped up just in time to calm down all sides involved, as Lesnar and Orton would be separated on different brands soon afterwards. Considering that Orton and Lesnar have known each other since their days in OVW and have still not become friends to this day, then all hope is lost by now. They clearly don't mesh well in real life despite all the circumstances that would have you believing otherwise.

6 Friends: JBL

TBT Brock Lesnar and I in Helsinki years ago.

— John Layfield (@JCLayfield) September 25, 2014

The photo above is living proof that Brock Lesnar and JBL are real life friends. It is easy to see why some fans may be skeptical about this odd pairing, as they couldn't be more different in real lifes. But opposites do attract, which may have been the reason their personalities meshed so well. At some point, they became travelling buddies during their time on SmackDown, and they clearly developed a bond. It is rare to find photos of Lesnar genuinely smiling and having fun, especially with fellow WWE Superstars, but the photo above suggests that Lesnar may be different than what most of us had expected.

And if you happen to be wondering whether they are still friends to this day, then JBL's tweet may address your concerns. In 2015, JBL congratulated Lesnar for re-signing with the WWE, adding that he has always been a fan and a friend of his. In the wrestling world, we have seen some unbelievable friendships that not even the most hardcore WWE fans would have ever guessed. What goes behind the scenes is still largely unknown to fans despite the WWE's extensive coverage with the cameras rolling at all times.

5 Can't Stand Him: Big Show

There was a time when Big Show and Brock Lesnar got along very well, especially during the latter's early years in the WWE. But once Lesnar left the company, it was clear that Big Show had some very bitter feelings towards past antics that he didn't necessarily appreciate. It seems like he felt that Lesnar was ungrateful towards the likes of Big Show, who went out of their way to put him over. And when Lesnar left the WWE after being pushed to the top, some of his peers were understandably upset with his decision after they had helped push him to the moon.

What was once a developing friendship between Lesnar and Big Show was hindered by Lesnar's actions, which rubbed plenty of his peers the wrong way.

When Lesnar returned to the WWE, he was booked against Big Show once again to remind fans about his impressive strength. By that point, their past issues mostly forgotten as both Superstars have long moved on since then. They may not be bitter enemies at the time - not that Big Show has any - but they certainly aren't friends either. In the past, Big Show would have landed on the other side of this list.

4 Friends: Steve Austin

In 2002, Steve Austin was scheduled to lose to Brock Lesnar on Monday Night Raw - a decision that upset him enough to quit that very same day. There had been conflicts between Austin and the company over the previous months, and while he didn't mind losing a match against Lesnar, he did believe that the match up was being wasted for no reason on Raw. Austin believed that it should be saved for a bigger event as it could highly benefit Lesnar to go over him on a bigger stage. For some time, there were fans who thought that a rivalry may exist between the two Superstars behind the scenes due to Austin's antics in 2002, but that is far from the truth.

Over the following years, they would become close friends and were even pitted to work together at some point, which is why Austin was brought as the special guest referee for his match against Goldberg. In Lesnar's autobiography, he noted that his industry friends are very few but did list Austin among the closest connections he has made during his time in the WWE. In recent years, Austin has confirmed that he remains good friends with Lesnar to this day.

3 Can't Stand Him: Sylvester Terkay

From friends to foes, that is the story of Brock Lesnar's relationship with former OVW manager Kenny Bolin. They nearly came to blows when Lesnar accused him of approaching his then girlfriend, which probably wasn't the wisest move. Bolin claims that Sylvester Terkay stepped in the way as things were heating up and Lesnar was threatening to kill them both. According to Bolin's side of the story, Terkay would challenge Lesnar to a real life fight - and while the latter did accept his offer - the fight would never take place. Since that days, tensions reached an all time high in OVW as some feared that a fight could escalate at any given moment between Lesnar and Terkay.

Considering how strong both Superstars are, we would bet that the fight would cause some serious damages. Their paths have split them apart, it took Terkay many years to make it to the WWE. By then, Lesnar was already gone and pursuing a UFC career. While they may not have crossed paths since their OVW stint, and likely never will again, Terkay became one of Lesnar's early enemies in the wrestling industry - as he would go on to make many more over the upcoming years.

2 Friends: The Undertaker

When Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker met in the early 2000s, the latter wasn't pleased about Vince McMahon wanting him to put Lesnar over. At some point, there were tensions backstage as Taker rejected the WWE's request, which forced them to change the outcome of the match to a Double DQ to please both Superstars. But eventually the bitter feelings between them brought them closer on a personal level as they managed to resolve all past problems between them. And when Lesnar left the WWE for seven years, he only kept in touch with very few of his past peers and among them was The Undertaker - whom he even attended one of Lesnar's UFC fights.

Since reuniting in recent years, their friendship grew even more which led to their eventual feud.

Lesnar is one of the few Superstars whom Taker was happy to lose the undefeated streak to, which shows how strong their relationship had grown from 2002 until a decade later. In fact, Taker had offered to put Lesnar over at Mania several years before he actually did. When it comes to WWE programming, Taker has arguably been Brock Lesnar's greatest foe to this point, while simultaneously also being one of his closest friends outside of the ring.

1 Can't Stand Him: Chris Jericho

Following the aforementioned SummerSlam 2016 match between Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton, it was Chris Jericho who stepped up to the former to confront him about his actions. Many members of the roster were unsure about the events that had transpired on television as Lesnar threw a brutal elbow towards Orton. Many believed that Lesnar had gone off script or may have been too reckless in the ring, which angered members of the audience as well as some WWE Superstars. Jericho was one of the many watching the match in the back, and he wasn't pleased to watch Lesnar violate Orton in the ring. Being good friends with Orton, Jericho fearlessly stood up to The Beast.

Once Lesnar returned to the backstage area, he was immediately confronted by Jericho who was ready to turn matters physical. Following some exchanged words between both men, matters didn't escalate any further as all tensions were resolved as much as possible.

Since then, Jericho has thrown a couple of shots towards Lesnar during his podcast, so it's clear that he hasn't fully moved on from the incident since he disapproved of Lesnar's behavior. And based on what happened, it wouldn't be surprising at all if the feelings were mutual between them.