When a professional wrestling or sports entertainment show ends, there should be a lot to talk about. Fans should be looking forward to the next show because something that was booked, a major match, something. That was the case coming out of the September 26 episode of WWE SmackDown. But that talking point isn’t a good one. Instead, it is about Paul Heyman’s promo and his questionable Brock Lesnar quote. WWE is shamefully toying with the horrible accusations that Lesnar is named in, and this is something that fans should not ignore.
Paul Heyman was standing in the ring doing his usual thing when he spoke one line that caught everyone’s attention.
“Or perhaps, we should talk about the conspiracy theories and the rumors regarding Brock Lesnar?”
The fans responded on air as if it were some secret joke, but everyone knew exactly what he was talking about. No, it’s not something as simple as a failed wellness test, or a DUI infraction. Lesnar is named more than 40 times in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. Grant alleges that she was used as a brokering piece of sorts when McMahon was negotiating a contract with Lesnar. Lesnar was not named for any wrongdoing, as they were not able to connect due to various complications.
Still, those allegations are serious, and the legal proceedings are still active. WWE brought Brock Lesnar back to television, and critics were quickly vocal about the situation. Reports were that Nick Khan and Triple H were key in Lesnar’s return, showing that the disregard for the allegations goes all the way up to the leadership positions. This speaks directly to the issue of culture that Grant names in her lawsuit, and Heyman’s quotes on air don’t help the perception.
Listen, WWE didn’t have to handle the Brock Lesnar situation like this. The company could have made a statement about why he was brought back, as he doesn’t face any actual charges in the ordeal. Instead, WWE brought Lesnar back, cancelled media opportunities to ask questions about his absence and return, and the company is now allowing one of its most important voices to mock the entire situation as millions watch. All of that is unnecessary and can actually blow up in the organization’s face in more ways than one.
WWE’s handling of Brock Lesnar is yet another example of the organization’s shift toward the right. The mocking of victims, not holding people accountable, and leaning in toward questionable media outlets are all directly out of that playbook. Brock Lesnar shouldn’t be on WWE television, and the company shouldn’t make light of the entire situation on television.