At the 2025 WWE SummerSlam, Brock Lesnar unexpectedly made his first appearance in two years by launching an attack on John Cena following Cena’s defeat to Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship. This marked a significant moment, completing a storyline circle as Lesnar’s last WWE appearance before his hiatus was also at SummerSlam 2023 in a match against Rhodes. The reasons behind Lesnar’s prolonged absence and sudden comeback intertwine with the ongoing Janel Grant lawsuit involving WWE leadership, which has cast a shadow over the company and affected Lesnar’s role until now.
The Connection Between Brock Lesnar and the Janel Grant Lawsuit
In 2023, Brock Lesnar was a prominent figure in WWE, transitioning from a fan-favorite (babyface) to a villain (heel) role after WrestleMania 39, where he instigated a rivalry with Cody Rhodes. Their feud culminated at SummerSlam 2023, where Rhodes secured victory and Lesnar broke character to show respect. Unbeknownst to the public then, this would be Lesnar’s final WWE appearance for two years, as legal controversies began to surface.
In January 2024, Janel Grant, a former WWE employee, filed a lawsuit against chairman Vince McMahon, executive John Laurinaitis, and WWE itself, alleging sexual exploitation and trafficking. Grant claimed McMahon promised her job promotion in exchange for sex and further accused him of organizing trafficking to other WWE executives, including Laurinaitis. These serious allegations contributed to Vince McMahon’s resignation as chairman of TKO Group Holdings.
Significantly, Brock Lesnar was mentioned in a revised lawsuit filed in February 2025, after initially being unnamed. According to Grant, Vince McMahon required her to take nude photographs to send to Lesnar to persuade him to renew his WWE contract, stating that Lesnar “likes what he sees.” Moreover, the lawsuit alleges that in 2021, McMahon flew Lesnar to WWE headquarters in Connecticut with the intention for Lesnar to have sex with Grant, though it reportedly did not happen.
How the Lawsuit Impacted Brock Lesnar’s WWE Participation
The original lawsuit emerged just days before the 2024 Royal Rumble, leading WWE to remove Lesnar from the event amid the growing controversy. Lesnar had been scheduled for a high-profile match against Gunther at WrestleMania 40, but this potential “dream match” was canceled amid the legal chaos. Since then, Lesnar has maintained a low public profile, avoiding interviews and public commentary on the lawsuit while focusing on private life with his wife, former WWE star Sable, and their family.
Triple H, WWE’s chief content officer and an influential figure behind the scenes, has addressed Lesnar’s status only sporadically. In a WrestleMania 40 press conference, he said:
“At one point, there was a conversation with Brock about Royal Rumble quite a long time ago. Right now, Brock is home being Brock. And we’ll see where that leads to from here. His status is the same as it’s been before. Brock is not gone from WWE, he’s just home being Brock.” —Triple H
Earlier, when asked about the possibility of Lesnar returning, Triple H remarked:
“You’d have to ask Brock Lesnar that, Brock does his own thing, so he’s up in Canada I’m sure watching his kids play hockey and enjoying life. If and when he decides that he would like to do something, we’d be open to the conversation.” —Triple H
Behind the Scenes: WWE’s Legal Clearance and Lesnar’s Return to the Ring
Lesnar’s sudden reappearance at SummerSlam 2025 raised questions about what had changed within WWE’s legal and management teams. According to wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio:
“Four weeks ago, WWE Legal cleared him. As far as why, I don’t know. And that’s something to speculate on, because there’s a lot of stuff.” —Dave Meltzer
WWE leadership, especially Triple H, indicated that Brock’s return was influenced by John Cena’s desires. Cena, who is on his retirement tour, reportedly requested Lesnar’s involvement to help close the final chapter of his career. Speaking after SummerSlam, Triple H stated:
“This is John Cena’s wishlist. John Cena’s… it’s him writing the last chapter of his book, and I think people saw a conversation with us where he said we’d have to screw it up pretty badly to ruin his career.” —Triple H
Lesnar’s return despite the ongoing lawsuit has caused unease among fans and critics, with some enthusiastic crowd reactions at SummerSlam possibly driven as much by surprise as genuine support. This development is risky for WWE given the negative attention surrounding the lawsuit, alongside other existing controversies involving the company’s associations with figures like Donald Trump and continued events in Saudi Arabia.
The Broader Implications of Brock Lesnar’s WWE Comeback
Though Brock Lesnar himself has never been accused of any crime nor is he a plaintiff in the lawsuit, his name being explicitly mentioned clouds his image and presents reputational challenges for WWE. The decision to reintegrate Lesnar so soon after the public revelations may reflect WWE’s prioritization of compelling storylines and star power, particularly for John Cena’s farewell run, over concerns about public relations and corporate responsibility.
It remains uncertain whether Lesnar’s comeback is a long-term return or a brief engagement focused on Cena’s retirement arc. The outcome of ongoing legal proceedings and advertiser responses will likely play critical roles in determining if WWE continues to feature Lesnar prominently or opts to distance itself further. For now, WWE appears willing to take that risk despite the potential fallout amid one of the company’s most unsettling controversies in recent years.
