What We Know About Brock Lesnar’s WWE Return Amid Legal Controversy

Brock Lesnar is officially back in WWE — but his return didn’t come without serious questions and behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

After being completely removed from television, video packages, and internal mentions for over a year, Lesnar made his surprise return during WWE SummerSlam 2025 in a moment that rocked fans. But his comeback wasn’t just about timing — it was about clearance.

On the August 4 episode of RAW, Michael Cole addressed Lesnar’s return directly during the second hour of the show. Cole said he spoke with WWE CEO Nick Khan and Chief Content Officer Triple H earlier in the day and asked when the decision was made to bring The Beast back.

“They told me that they reached out to Brock a number of weeks ago and said, ‘We believe that it’s time to come home.’ Brock Lesnar said he’d do it, and here we are.”

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Lesnar’s return at SummerSlam Night Two wasn’t just a surprise for fans — it was one of WWE’s most tightly guarded secrets in recent memory.

The company flew Lesnar into New Jersey the night before the show under the cover of darkness and kept him completely hidden all day. Even WWE’s own writing team wasn’t clued in. There had been backstage talk of a surprise for the event, but almost no one knew what it was.

When Lesnar’s music hit after Cody Rhodes defeated John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship, the MetLife Stadium crowd erupted in chants of “holy sh*t” as the Beast stormed the ring. Lesnar locked eyes with Cena before delivering a sudden F5, leaving the 17-time world champion laid out as the show went off the air.

The return is especially shocking given Lesnar’s removal from WWE programming earlier last year after being named in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon — a move that also derailed his planned WrestleMania feud with GUNTHER.

By keeping his comeback a complete mystery, WWE delivered one of the most jaw-dropping moments of the year, and now the question becomes how Lesnar will fit into the company’s plans with John Cena’s farewell tour winding down.

Lesnar’s return marks a massive shift, especially considering WWE had pulled him from all programming after he was named — though not accused — in the explosive lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant. The suit alleges that Vince McMahon ordered Grant to send sexually explicit content to Lesnar, including a disturbing request for urination videos during contract negotiations. While Lesnar hasn’t been charged or formally accused of wrongdoing, the claims sent WWE into damage control.

At the time, Ringside News confirmed with a WWE source that Lesnar “will not return to WWE television until this legal situation is over.” WWE went as far as banning his name from being spoken on air — a ban that slowly lifted after Paul Heyman repeatedly referenced him during his WWE Hall of Fame induction speech.

According to a WWE source who spoke with Ringside News: “Heyman mentioned him several times during his Hall of Fame speech and I think the ban on his name was lifted from that.”

That was followed by Michael Cole name-dropping Lesnar during King and Queen of the Ring, sending fans into speculation mode. From there, WWE quietly began adding Lesnar back into legacy footage and promotional packages.

Earlier this year in March, Lesnar was spotted by a Ringside News correspondent at a steakhouse in Austin, Texas. When asked about a return to WWE, Lesnar simply responded: “We’ll see.”

Behind the scenes, WWE’s legal department gave the green light to reintroduce Lesnar, but that doesn’t mean the lawsuit is over. A spokesperson for Grant’s legal team provided a statement to Ringside News, condemning WWE’s decision to move forward without accountability.

“For far too long, abuse was allowed to thrive under WWE’s leadership,” the spokesperson said. “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.”

“We look forward to the full set of facts, including those about Mr. Lesnar, coming out in a court of law where they belong but, in the meantime, we refer you back to Janel Grant’s updated complaint, which outlines, in detail, the abuse she endured by McMahon and others while employed at WWE.”

So while Brock Lesnar is officially back in WWE, the legal shadow around his return remains. Lesnar’s reappearance at SummerSlam might answer one question, but it opens the door to many more about what WWE knew, when they knew it, and why now.