Brock Lesnar makes unexpected return to WWE at SummerSlam in first appearance in 2 years 

Brock Lesnar is back.

The embattled former UFC heavyweight champion made an unexpected return to WWE on Sunday night at SummerSlam when he appeared at the end of the main event match between John Cena and Cody Rhodes. As Cena soaked in the adulation from his fans at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Lesnar’s music hit the speakers to the shock and surprise of those in attendance.

Lesnar eventually marched to the ring staring down Cena the entire way before jumping inside and hitting the Peacemaker star with his signature “F5” finishing move. He exited the ring and the stadium without saying a word but clearly Lesnar is officially returning to WWE for one last run with Cena, who plans to retire from professional wrestling at the end of 2025.

The return mirrored Lesnar’s another shocking appearance in WWE when he went back to the organization following his run in the UFC where he reigned as heavyweight champion. That return in in 2012 ended with Lesnar also putting Cena down with his “F5” as he made his first appearance in WWE after leaving wrestling eight years earlier.

Of course, Lesnar’s return came just weeks after UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier claimed he was banned from the promotion.

“Brock is on the banned list right now,” Cormier told Demetrious Johnson on his podcast. “Brock got into so much trouble. You know what Brock did. I ain’t telling you on air what Brock did. Brock is in so much trouble.”

While Cormier never spoke to specifics, he was likely referencing the ongoing lawsuit by a former WWE employee named Janel Grant, who filed a blockbuster lawsuit against former owner and CEO Vince McMahon in 2024 claiming she was sexually abused and trafficked among other allegations.

An amendment filed to the original lawsuit identified Lesnar as a prominent performer involved in some of the allegations against McMahon and John Lauranaitis, who is the former head of talent relations for WWE.

In the extensive allegations, Grant claimed McMahon shared explicit photos and videos of her with Lesnar while the WWE was attempting to re-sign him to a new deal. She also alleged that McMahon later informed her that Lesnar would soon join them as their next “playmate.”

While a number of disturbing allegations were raised, Lesnar was not actually named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

Now Lesnar is back in WWE for at least one more run, most likely to run it back with Cena before he calls it a career at the end of the year.