After being implicated in the Vince McMahon sex trafficking scandal in early 2024, Brock Lesnar ended a two-year wrestling absence by making his return at WWE SummerSlam on August 3. Lesnar confronted the soon-to-be-retired John Cena at that show, with reports indicating that the two will main event an unannounced PLE directly against AEW All Out next month. Now, according to WWE’s official website, Lesnar could be set to appear on two upcoming episodes of “WWE SmackDown.”
Lesnar’s image is being used to promote the September 12 edition of “SmackDown” in Norfolk, Virginia, as well as the September 19 episode in Toledo, Ohio, when navigating to the tickets section of WWE’s site. He’s not yet listed among the “Featured Superstars” section of either event, meaning he isn’t officially being advertised. However, with the PLE rumored to take place on September 20, the timing would line up.
The return of Lesnar drew a huge reaction from the live audience at SummerSlam, but the online reception to the wrestler’s comeback has been much more divided. Lesnar was never charged with any crimes, but the amended civil lawsuit against McMahon and WWE alleges that McMahon attempted to traffick Janel Grant to Lesnar as part of convincing Lesnar to sign his next WWE contract. The lawsuit is currently on hold as a judge decides whether or not it should play out publicly or in private arbitration.
According to WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque, the former UFC star’s return had been in the works for weeks ahead of SummerSlam, with he and Nick Khan reaching out to Lesnar and telling him that it was “time to come home.” Lesnar hasn’t been on TV since his return, while Cena was set up for a match against Logan Paul before he’ll presumably shift his attention back to his SummerSlam attacker.
