The WWE's main roster is so stacked that there are plenty of legends right now who aren't getting enough time to shine. It's possible the WWE doesn't believe that, however, as there's speculation that yet another absent superstar is headed back to Monday Night Raw and other shows. Brock Lesnar might be coming back to the WWE, and after hearing the latest explanations on why people think that, I think there's a real chance he'll be back.
Lesnar hasn't been in the WWE since the conclusion of his feud with Cody Rhodes during SummerSlam 2023. Now, it's looking like we may see him pop back up in upcoming WWE events or when Monday Night Raw comes to Netflix.
A Recent Monday Night Raw Mentioned Brock Lesnar Indirectly Twice
When an absent wrestler's return to the ring is on the way, it's common to see hints for their arrival on Monday Night Raw or SmackDown. Some incredibly subtle references to Brock Lesnar were made on the latest Monday Night Raw, to the point that I was watching and it went completely over my head.
For those that missed it, check out the clips below, in which both Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes made mention of "The Beast" by his nickname:
They (WWE) mentioned Brock Lesnar’s nickname ‘THE BEAST’ not 1 but 2 times on Raw is not a coincidence.It’s happening, It’s happening, Brock Lesnar will be BACK in WWE sooner than we all think later. 💯#WWE #WWERaw #BrockLesnar pic.twitter.com/L6XdnYyvO6October 15, 2024
I wouldn't have been so suspicious if it was just one mention. Brock Lesnar has been one of the biggest stars in the WWE over the past decade. So, it's inevitable that other stars will make mention of him. To have two top stars bring him up, however, is just too much of a coincidence. Now, it has me thinking we could even see him make an unexpected appearance on a PLE that will be available to watch with a Peacock Premium subscription before the end of 2024.
Why Some Believed Lesnar Was Finished With The WWE
Between Brock Lesnar's exit following SummerSlam 2023 and now, a lot of big news in the WWE world happened. Namely, former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, and the claims alleged some pretty horrific actions taken by the former CEO. One of those actions included McMahon demanding Grant make sexualized content for Brock Lesnar to sway him to sign with the WWE when he wasn't with the company.
Before that report, Lesnar was believed to be returning for the 2024 Royal Rumble. That never happened, and as we mentioned previously, we have not seen the former champion in the ring since 2023. The WWE has never confirmed anything, but Sports Illustrated and others confirmed the company took measures to distance itself from him by quietly removing his image from the cover of the popular video game WWE 2K24.
If Brock Lesnar is returning, there's an interesting question about why the WWE is more comfortable bringing him back now than previously. Again, we have no idea if he's actually coming back, but I would say the people who think the company is openly hinting about it on shows aren't just making things up.
When Might Brock Lesnar Return?
If Brock Lesnar returns, it's worth stating that the Royal Rumble is coming up in February. That's still a long way away, however, and I could also see an earlier return like Survivor Series being in the cards. That said, we talked about how loaded the WWE roster is, so if he did return, there would have to be a plan in place to justify his arrival.
Between everything happening in the WWE, I see two clear opportunities for Brock Lesnar to slide into the stories being told organically.
The first possibility lies in the story that Gunther is on a dominant run as the Heavyweight champion, and Cody Rhodes is in the same boat. How do you keep two over superstars from losing at Crown Jewel when they face off? You feature another competitor run-in during the match that forces a disqualification, and I think Lesnar would be the right guy for that. This is especially true if he kept Gunther from beating Cody, as it would set them on a collision course for WrestleMania.
I also see an opportunity to use Bronson Reed, who has established himself as a massive beast of WWE in his own regard. He can only dominate so many other big men before he ultimately has to take on the biggest of them all and have a big showdown with The Beast Incarnate. We'll see if it ultimately pans out and if the WWE pulls the trigger on bringing back one of its biggest stars.
To see if these rumors prove to be true, Monday Night Raw airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET.
