The Hurt Business is back, and business is booming. In all seriousness, Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits‘ new faction is exciting on paper, but they likely aren’t going to be the Hurt Business. However, that is hardly a problem and could benefit the group. Ignoring the parallels would be hard, and hopefully, WWE doesn’t. While little is known now, Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits’ new faction has a ton of potential and could not be coming at a better time.
What We Know So Far
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins, collectively known as The Street Profits, appeared on SmackDown Friday, July 14th. They were walking around the parking lot and talking about a mystery man who was said to be meeting them. That mystery man pulled up in a stretch SUV and revealed himself as Bobby Lashley.
Lashley was back in his nice suit with the shades on, even at night. He was incredibly reminiscent of his Hurt Business character, where he played the CEO of the faction whose business was about winning matches and championship gold. He asked if they were ready to talk and ended the segment by asking Ford and Dawkins to join him in the car. Then, the trio drove off in the same luxury vehicle that brought Lashley into the scene moments earlier.
WWE essentially created Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits new faction with little dialogue because of the history that character, CEO Lashley, has with the WWE universe. The three will, of course, make a triumphant debut at some point in the future. That will officially let fans in on the whole story. However, because everyone knows what is coming, that anticipation adds to the hype until they present the audience with more concrete details.
What Fans Could See Next
Without getting into too much fantasy booking, we don’t even know the name of Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits’ new faction; some possible moves already have fans buzzing online. The first also relies on fans’ prior knowledge, and it is the possible inclusion of Bianca Belair into the group.
Bianca is coming out of a stale period; to counter that, she has recently added an edge. It is debatable whether it is a full-heel turn, but it would fit well with the new faction. Adding a woman to the group was something that WWE did not do with Hurt Business Prime and something they have seen work spectacularly with Rhea Ripley and The Judgment Day. She could insert a potentially hot storyline into the women’s division after SummerSlam.
Beyond that, we can expect more of the same from the original run. One of the original members, Shelton Benjamin or Cedric Alexander, will likely rejoin the fold to take pinfalls for the group whenever possible.
Likewise, a feud with MVP, Omos, and the odd man out (Benjamin or Alexander) is probably on the horizon. Bobby Lashley was the CEO of the original faction, but MVP was equally portrayed as its leader. Whatever they call the group, there will be money in seeing them face off. Apart from that feud, there is a ton of potential with the group and any exciting things WWE can present to the SmackDown audiences.
Why WWE Needs Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits New Faction
This new faction, whoever joins and however they identify, could not be coming at a better time for SmackDown. That show, and the company overalls, the biggest story is that of The Bloodline faction. After anchoring SmackDown for multiple years, the story has likely hit its penultimate moment before Roman Reigns leaves.
We won’t see him until it is time for Cody Rhodes to finish his story. Likewise, much of Raw is based around the rise of Judgment Day. WWE has to have learned that factions work by now, a lesson that NJPW and AEW have always known better than their “mainstream” counterpart. Finding another top group to fill in for the Bloodline, and maybe even feud with the Bloodline later in the fall.
Having another top guy on the heel side is crucial, and Lashley is him. Nobody in WWE is bigger than Bobby Lashley. With the tailored suits and the bulging muscles, Lashley has always looked like a main eventer. He is the most legitimate powerhouse on the roster, besides maybe Brock Lesnar.
However, it is about more than just filling out the top of the card. Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits’ new faction let WWE continue the intra-faction drama that the Bloodline is known for. The company has gotten rather good at telling those stories. With MVP being on the outside and the anticipated Street Profits break up, they have a ton of stories. An invasion by an angry Omos, new potential members from NXT, and the possible ouster of Montez Ford or Angelo Dawkins are all on the table.
A New Top Act: Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits’ New Faction
Perhaps the Hurt Business can’t be recreated, or maybe WWE goes all in and doesn’t even change the name. Either way, fans have been clamoring to see a story involving MVP, Cedric Alexander, Shelton Benjamin, and Bobby Lashley. Additionally, most fans have been hoping for something to make the Street Profits and Bianca Belair feel different after years in the same character. Nothing has happened yet, but it all feels much more likely now, thanks to Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits’ new faction.
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