How would presidential race look with a Donald Trump shaved head? Bobby Lashley spared him that fate

This year’s U.S. presidential race could’ve looked a lot different if things would have gone another way at WrestleMania 23 in 2007.

Republican nominee Donald Trump has given the world countless soundbites and talking points – many of them, arguably, to his detriment. But he’s also famous for his yellow mop of hair, which has been the brunt of plenty of jokes his direction.

How would Trump look on the debate stage later tonight against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton absent that famous mane, and with a shaved head, instead? Had Bobby Lashley not taken care of business at WrestleMania 23, Trump may have found himself with a chrome dome – and who knows … maybe he’d have kept it.

Lashley (14-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) fights Josh Appelt (12-5 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) in the heavyweight co-feature of Bellator 162, which takes place Friday at FedEx Forum in Memphis. The main card will air on Spike following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Later today, Lashley will work out for the fans and media at King Jerry Lawler’s Hall of Fame Bar & Grille at 159 Beale St. in Memphis, just around the corner from FedEx Forum. The restaurant is owned by pro wrestling legend and WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler, who will be on hand to meet fans, as well.

Monday on MMAjunkie Radio, Lawler, a former WWE broadcaster, told the story of WrestleMania 23’s “Hair vs. Hair” match between former WWE champ Lashley and Umaga – which featured each wrestler with a special billionaire cornerman.

“At Wrestlemania 23, Bobby had the main-event match in which he went up against Umaga,” Lawler told MMAjunkie Radio. “And in Bobby’s corner, who he was representing, was none other than Donald Trump. And in Umaga’s corner was Vince McMahon. The match was set up in a way that whoever lost, their cornerman – their manager – would sit in the middle of the ring and get their head shaved.

“So Bobby Lashley fought for Donald Trump to save him from getting his head shaved, and he beat Umaga. Vince McMahon had to sit down in the middle of the ring and, from one billionaire to another, Donald Trump shaved Vince McMahon’s head right there in the middle of the ring at WrestleMania 23.”

It goes without saying that WWE matches and story lines are scripted. So there probably was no chance Trump was going to get his head shaved – even if Lashley lost to Umaga. But at the very least, it was Lashley’s chance to be on the same ticket as a future presidential nominee.

Tonight at the Bellator 162 open workouts, “King” Lawler, who is a WWE Hall of Famer, will get a chance to rub elbows with Lashley again – and said he plans to bring up the WrestleMania 23 stunt with him.

“I guarantee you that’s one of Bobby Lashley’s fondest memories, so I’m looking forward to seeing Bobby and getting to talk a little about that,” he said. “But I’m really looking forward to seeing him back in the MMA (cage). The guy’s done tremendous: 14-2 overall, he’s undefeated since coming to Bellator, and Bobby’s just a great guy. A lot of people don’t realize just how big and impressive Bobby Lashley is until you get a chance to stand next to him. … He’s a very impressive individual.”

Lawler said tonight’s Bellator 162 workouts will be something unique for the Beale Street area his new restaurant is in. So naturally, fans in Memphis for Friday’s card should consider checking out the event.

“It’s going to be a first for the MMA fighters to be doing something like that – it’s actually not going to be in my restaurant,” he said. “The cool thing about it is, we’re going to set up a ring right outside, right in the middle of Beale Street. It’s the home of the blues, it’s the biggest tourist attraction in the state of Tennessee, there’s millions of tourists down on Beale Street. … It’s just a cool location, and since Bellator 162 is going to be at the FedEx Forum, which is walking distance – less than a block, right behind Beale Street – I just thought it was a natural that we see if we could get some of the guys to come over for an open workout. It’s going to be something that is going to be unique. It’s hard to find first-time events for Beale Street, but this is going to be the first time ever we’ve had a ring set up right in the middle of Beale Street.”

For more on Bellator 162, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.