When the lawsuit regarding Vince McMahon's alleged sexual abuse and trafficking first made headlines, it took almost no time until multi-time WWE Champion Brock Lesnar was dragged into the whole sorry affair.
McMahon was said to have offered WWE employee Janel Grant—the woman he's accused of abusing—to Lesnar as a bonus, of sorts, for signing a new deal. Texts showed that Lesnar seemingly indulged his boss on the suggestion, though we've seen nothing to indicate they ever actually met (the former UFC star may have also believed he and McMahon were simply sharing a joke).
Before the scandal, the plan was for The Beast to be eliminated from the 2024 Royal Rumble by Dominik Mysterio. He'd have faced The Judgement Day member at Elimination Chamber before taking on then-Intercontinental Champion Gunther at WrestleMania in a dream match for many fans.
Instead, Lesnar has been M.I.A. ever since. There's been the odd reference to him on television, but it seems doubtful that WWE will consider bringing him back into the fold until his name is cleared and this lawsuit is dealt with...which could take several years.
On Lesnar's part, he may not wish to return to a WWE without McMahon. Remember, he's said to have stormed out of the company when the billionaire was forced to retire after sexual misconduct allegations first started doing the rounds online.
Another photo of The Beast is doing the rounds on social media today, and he's looking suitably jacked. Lesnar is still rocking long hair and a beard, and while we wouldn't say he's unrecognisable, this isn't the Lesnar most of you will be used to seeing.
The WWE Superstar has always kept himself to himself, but has made several public appearances this year. Apparently, when one fan asked him about a potential WWE return a few months ago, he responded by saying, "We'll see."
As things stand, Lesnar's last match in WWE was at SummerSlam 2023 when Cody Rhodes defeated him. In a rare sign of sportsmanship, he raised the American Nightmare's hand after the match, meaning that's the last memory many fans have of the former UFC star.
At this point, it feels an awful lot like Lesnar's in-ring career is over. While a return would be welcomed by some fans, it also runs the risk of bringing a lot of negative publicity WWE's way, particularly if it returns a spotlight to McMahon's alleged indiscretions.
Stay tuned for updates as we have them.