Brock Lesnar Shocks at SummerSlam: Impactful WWE Return

Brock Lesnar Shocks with WWE Return at SummerSlam

The world of wrestling was shaken last Sunday at SummerSlam with the shocking return of Brock Lesnar to WWE, just six months after being mentioned in a lawsuit against the company and former executive Vince McMahon. Lesnar, known as “The Beast Incarnate”, made his last appearance in the ring at SummerSlam 2023, where he suffered a defeat against Cody Rhodes at Ford Field in Detroit. His return took place after the main event of the second night of SummerSlam, held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Cody Rhodes regained the Undisputed WWE Championship in a “street fight” against John Cena, who has announced his retirement as an active wrestler after this year. Cena, after receiving an ovation, remained alone in the center of the ring, kneeling and kissing the canvas. At that moment, Lesnar’s entrance music resonated, unleashing the euphoria of the public. Lesnar entered the ring and executed his final move, the “F-5”, on Cena, marking the end of the event. Lesnar, with a distinguished past as an amateur wrestler at the University of Minnesota and in the UFC between 2008 and 2011, is widely recognized for his multiple reigns in WWE, where he was crowned seven-time world champion. WWE’s former employee, Janel Grant, officially identified Lesnar in a January 31st filing in the United States District Court, related to her lawsuit filed against WWE and McMahon in January 2024. The original complaint mentioned a star wrestler in the accusation, but did not reveal Lesnar’s name. Lesnar is not a defendant in the lawsuit.

As expected, the proposed amended complaint is nothing more than the latest publicity stunt in an ongoing smear campaign. It is filled with desperate falsehoods from a team that continues to ignore the law and the truth.

Jessica Rosenberg, McMahon’s lawyer

Grant, who worked in the company’s legal and talent departments, alleges that McMahon forced her to have a sexual relationship to keep her job. She also claims that McMahon demanded that she create “personalized sexual content” for Lesnar in July 2021, at a time when McMahon was trying to keep Lesnar under contract with WWE. In addition, she alleges that McMahon took Lesnar to Connecticut in 2021 for a sexual encounter, which ultimately did not happen. McMahon resigned in January 2024 as executive chairman of the board of directors of TKO Group, WWE’s parent company, following the filing of Grant’s lawsuit. WWE has avoided commenting on the ongoing litigation. There were no press conferences after SummerSlam, as WWE opted for its wrestlers to speak exclusively on the post-event show, rather than answer questions from journalists. Paul Levesque, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, was not questioned about the lawsuit on Sunday night, but he did address Lesnar’s return.

If there had been a roof on this place, it wouldn’t be here anymore. The dynamic in the room changes when the Beast is here. Anything you thought was happening goes out the window. The Brock factor changes everything incredibly and makes it unpredictable. Incredible to have him back.

Paul Levesque

Levesque discussed the accusations against McMahon on the UK-based “The Sports Agents” podcast, which launched on Friday. “All we can do is move forward, for us as a company and creatively,” said Levesque, known as Triple H during his days in the ring. “The accusations are accusations, right? It’s a complicated relationship for anyone in life. Nobody’s perfect. But accusations are made and that’s something totally legal that is completely separate and apart from what we do.” “My job is to present the best creative product that WWE can make. Fortunately and happily, it has been successful. The business is in a good moment right now and continues to grow.”