‘The Beast’ Brock Lesnar is back in the WWE, and the reaction has been anything but welcoming.
At SummerSlam 2025’s second night in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Lesnar stormed the ring after John Cena’s grueling loss to Cody Rhodes in a match that felt like a definitive passing of the torch. Then Lesnar’s music hit, and the atmosphere shifted from celebration to unease.
The initial pop from the crowd was undeniable, but the mood soured quickly as fans remembered why Lesnar had been absent for over a year. In January 2024, he was quietly scrubbed from the Royal Rumble after being named in a federal lawsuit alongside the company’s CEO Vince McMahon, accused of involvement in sex trafficking and coercion allegations brought by former WWE employee Janel Grant. His sudden reemergence, without explanation or accountability, has left a sour taste. Online, the backlash has been swift and severe.
“Goes without saying: fuck Lesnar, fuck the fed,” wrote one fan on X. Another demanded, “BROCK LESNAR’S GOT A SEX TRAFFICKING LAWSUIT WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?” Grant’s representatives didn’t hold back either, releasing a statement that read, “For far too long, abuse was allowed to thrive under WWE’s leadership. Instead of righting this wrong, WWE has done nothing to ensure those responsible are held accountable. This attempt to sweep misconduct under the rug will backfire.”
The WWE’s decision to bring Lesnar back raises uncomfortable questions. Is it desperation for star power? A misguided attempt to capitalize on Cena’s retirement tour? Or worse, a sign that McMahon’s shadow still looms over the company, despite his legal exile? Speculation runs wild — some believe Lesnar’s return was greenlit due to legal technicalities, while Triple H implied it as Cena personally pushed for one final showdown. Either way, the optics are not the best outcomes.
WWE has spent the past year trying to distance itself from McMahon’s scandals, positioning itself as a new-era promotion under Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque’s creative direction. But Lesnar’s return and the recent honoring of the late Hulk Hogan — who was openly racist and has shown support for the Trump administration — undermines that narrative, reinforcing the perception that the company hasn’t truly moved on. In 2025, with current stars Rhodes, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns leading the charge, the need for Lesnar feels obsolete at best, tone-deaf at worst. The audience has made its stance clear: they’re ready to leave the past behind. The question is, is WWE doing so as well?
