In what would’ve been a jaw-dropping WWE moment in any other era, Brock Lesnar made his thunderous return at SummerSlam — but this time, the shock wasn’t all excitement. The “Beast Incarnate” returned to WWE Sunday night at MetLife Stadium after a two-year absence, interrupting John Cena’s emotional farewell and delivering a devastating F5 to the 16-time world champion. The crowd exploded. Social media went into meltdown. But for many fans, the return felt less like nostalgia and more like betrayal.
Lesnar’s name is directly mentioned — though not as a defendant — in the ongoing sex trafficking lawsuit filed against former WWE CEO Vince McMahon. The explosive allegations from former WWE employee Janel Grant accuse McMahon of attempting to coerce her into sex with Lesnar to secure his re-signing. According to the lawsuit, WWE financially benefited from “commercial sex act ventures” involving talent such as Lesnar, alleging that McMahon “presented Ms. Grant as a sexual commodity.”
The timing of Lesnar’s return couldn’t have been more controversial, and fans are furious.
Janel Grant’s rep issued the following statement regarding Brock Lesnar’s return to WWE.
We’ve asked WWE reps for comment on Lesnar’s return but they’ve not responded
— Fightful Wrestling (@fightful.com) August 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM
One fan canceled their subscription to Netflix.
Hey @netflix.com
Not gonna miss you.
You really may wanna rethink that WWE contract.— Kristi (@booksandbodyslams.bsky.social) August 4, 2025 at 12:51 PM
catching up with WWE news over the past week, and let me see if i have this straight:
– multiple nights honoring their racist top star from 40 years ago, who the crowd hates
– publicly allying further with Trump, who the crowd hates
– bringing back Brock Lesnar, who was named in a sex abuse suit— Jesse (@jesseltaylor.bsky.social) August 4, 2025 at 11:32 AM
“He’s literally part of the lawsuit and they’re putting him back on TV?” one post on X read. Another bluntly stated, “That rapist is allowed back in WWE?” Others echoed the outrage, pointing out the optics of WWE celebrating Lesnar while ignoring the cloud of legal and moral questions hanging overhead.
Notably absent from SummerSlam weekend? The traditional post-show press conference. Instead, WWE’s Paul “Triple H” Levesque and other talent stuck to the scripted post-show broadcast — a move many fans saw as a deliberate dodge.
“Triple H dropping the press conference so no one could grill him about Brock? Coward stuff,” said one angry fan. Another post was even harsher, calling the WWE exec a “scummy piece of s—.”
Despite the explosive in-ring moment, Lesnar’s return has fractured the fanbase. While some cheered the rekindling of the Cena-Lesnar rivalry, others saw it as WWE turning its back on victims and sweeping accountability under the rug.
One of wrestling’s most dominant stars is back in the spotlight. But this time, the light feels harsh — and the shadows he brings with him are impossible to ignore.
