Bobby Lashley, real name Franklin Roberto Lashley, is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently signed to WWE.
He is part of the SmackDown brand and the leader of the group The Pride. Lashley has won eight world championships, including two WWE championships, two ECW world championships, and four TNA world heavyweight championships.
Lashley has been headlined at numerous pay-per-view events for both WWE and TNA/Impact, such as Bound for Glory 2016.
He is among the few people to have won the WWE, ECW, and TNA/Impact world championships, with Rob Van Dam winning the title.
File
- Full name: Franklin Roberto Lashley
- Nickname: Bobby Lashley
- Date of birth: July 16, 1976
- Age: 48 years old
- male
- Place of birth: Junction City, Kansas, USA
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Professional wrestler, Mixed martial artist
- Height: 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm)
- Parents: Clara Lashley (Mother)
- Siblings: Cathy Lashley, Frances Lashley, Jessica Lashley
- Spouse: Kristal Marshall (m. 2007–2010)
- Children: Naomi Lashley, Kyra Lashley, Myles Lashley
- Relationship status: Not applicable
- Net worth: 4 million USD
Early life and education
Bobby Lashley, now 48 years old, was born in Junction City, Kansas on July 16, 1976. Bobby was raised by a single mother, Clara Lashley.
On the other hand, his father is unknown. However, according to many sources, his father was an army drill sergeant.
Bobby grew up with three sisters, Cathy L, Cathy Lashley, and Jessica Lashley.
The family occasionally moved due to his father’s military service. While stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas, Lashley attended Fort Riley High School, where he discovered amateur wrestling in seventh grade.
He continued wrestling at Junction City High School and pursued further education at Missouri Valley College.
In college, he excelled in wrestling, becoming the NAIA National Wrestling Champion at 177 lbs for three consecutive years from 1996 to 1998.
He graduated in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in human services agency administration and recreation management.
Personal life
Bobby Lashley is currently single. He was romantically involved with Kristal Melisa Marshall from 2007 to 2010.
The couple welcomed two children, Myles and Naomi, before their marriage ended in divorce in 2010.
Naomi was born in 2011, a year after the breakup. Lashley also had a daughter named Kyra in 2005.
Bobby Lashley also had a scripted relationship with Lana. Despite their engagement and photo shoot together, their romance eventually ended.
Career
Lashley began his wrestling journey with Ohio Valley Wrestling, a developmental territory of WWE, in January 2005.
Under the nickname Blaster Lashley, he participated in four live events for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in mid-2005, appearing in dark matches for both Raw and SmackDown!
His first appearance on SmackDown! as a good guy took place on September 23, 2005, using his real name.
Lashley’s stellar background is highlighted as a three-time National Amateur Wrestling Champion, four-time National Amateur Wrestling Champion, two-time Armed Forces Champion, and Silver Medalist 2002 at the World Military Championships.
His debut match resulted in a victory over Simon Dean, a success he repeated in his pay-per-view debut at No Mercy on October 9.
Moving forward, Lashley has secured his spot on Team SmackDown! at Survivor Series by defeating Orlando Jordan in a qualifying match on the November 11 episode of SmackDown! Despite being the first person eliminated in the event, his team won.
Entering 2006, Lashley achieved notable milestones. On January 6, 2006, he became SmackDown! The wrestler qualified for that year’s Royal Rumble.
At the Royal Rumble on January 29, Lashley entered as the eighth entrant, eliminating Sylvain before being eliminated by World Tag Team Champions Big Show and Raw’s Kane.
Following the Royal Rumble, Lashley feuded with John “Bradshaw” Layfield (JBL), leading to a match at No Way Out on February 19, where Lashley suffered his first singles loss due to Finlay’s interference.
This sparked a rivalry with Finlay that lasted throughout February and March, including a memorable lumberjack match on the SmackDown! On 17 March, Finlay finally won by using the shillelagh.
After winning the prize “Last chance” battle royal on the March 24 episode of SmackDown!, Lashley participated in his first WrestleMania (WrestleMania 22) in the Money in the Bank ladder match on April 2, although he did not win.
His journey continued with participation in SmackDown!’s 2006 King of the Ring tournament, advancing to the finals after defeating Mark Henry and Finlay.
However, his hopes of victory were dashed on Judgment Day on May 21, when he lost to Booker T with an assist from Finlay.
This led to a confrontation in which Lashley stabbed Booker into his coronation throne, sparking a feud with “King Booker” and His Court.
During this time, Lashley won his first professional wrestling championship by defeating JBL for the United States Championship on an episode of SmackDown! May 26, although he lost to Finlay less than two months later on the July 14 episode.
Immediately after losing the title, Lashley suffered health problems but returned to SmackDown! Roster continued his feud with Court, eventually earning a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship at No Mercy on October 8, which became a four-way victory for King Booker after pin Finlay.
On November 14, 2006, Lashley moved to the ECW brand. His debut with the brand saw him earn the final spot in an Extreme Elimination Chamber match for the ECW World Championship in December against Dismember.
At the event, Lashley was victorious, capturing the ECW World Championship by eliminating both Test and The Big Show via pinfall after executing a spear.
Following this victory, Lashley defended his title against formidable opponents such as Big Show, Rob Van Dam, Test, Hardcore Holly, Kenny Dykstra and Mr.
Notably, on March 19, 2007, on an episode of Raw, Lashley broke Chris Masters’ masterlock, becoming the first and only person to do so.
In early 2007, Lashley was chosen by Donald Trump to represent him in a “Battle of the Billionaires” match against Vince McMahon’s representative, Umaga, at WrestleMania 23 on April 1.
Match regulations regarding the Hair vs. Hair, which Lashley won, helped Trump and Stone Cold Steve Austin shave McMahon’s head.
This led to a feud with Mr. McMahon, culminating in a 3-on-1 handicap match at Backlash on April 29 for the ECW World Championship, where Mr. McMahon won the title by pinning Lashley.
During this match, Lashley suffered a legitimate shoulder injury and was diagnosed with a damaged rotator cuff but did not require immediate surgery.
Despite this defeat, Lashley won the ECW World Championship for a second time on June 3 at One Night Stand, defeating Vince McMahon in a street fight despite interference from Shane McMahon and Umaga .
His time in ECW was cut short when he was drafted to the Raw brand on the June 11 episode, resulting in him being stripped of the ECW World Championship by Vince McMahon.
Lashley continued to pursue the WWE Championship, winning the title against John Cena at The Great American Bash on July 22, but was unsuccessful.
Following the event, Lashley underwent surgery for a shoulder injury, leading to his departure from WWE on February 4, 2008.
After leaving WWE, Lashley began competing on the independent circuit in May 2008. He ventured to Mexico, where he participated in Lucha Libre AAA World Wide’s Triplemanía XVI in June 2008, winning alongside Kenzo Suzuki and Electroshock.
In July 2008, he showcased his talents in Puerto Rico at the World Wrestling Council’s 35th anniversary show, defeating Rhino.
Continuing his global journey, Lashley appeared in Japan for Antonio Inoki’s Inoki Genome Federation in August 2008, winning against The Predator.
prize
- WWE United States Championship (1 time)
- WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
- TNA/Impact World Championship (5 times)
- ECW World Championship (1 time)
- King of the Mountain (2009)
Net value
According to many reputable sources, Bobby Lashley’s estimated net worth is approximately $5 million as of 2024.
This wealth was mainly accumulated through his successful professional wrestling career with WWE.
Argumentative
Bobby Lashley has been involved in controversial stories and incidents throughout his wrestling career.
Some notable controversies include:
- Lashley’s surprise loss to Brock Lesnar at WWE Crown Jewel 2022, where Lesnar fought off Lashley’s Hurt Lock and picked up an unexpected victory. After the match, Lashley expressed disappointment and frustration over the result.
- Another controversial event arose when Lashley was removed from the lineup at WrestleMania 39. He endorsed several controversial tweets criticizing the decision, sparking widespread debate about Lashley perceived lack of opportunities in WWE.
- Additionally, Lashley’s involvement in a controversial storyline with Rusev and Lana in 2019 received backlash from fans. The story, which depicts the theme of infidelity, was heavily criticized for its problematic depiction and received widespread condemnation.
Social Media
- Instagram: @bobbylashley
- Twitter: @fightbobby
