WWE bringing back Brock Lesnar would be a mistake

Fans and wrestling media members alike are talking about Brock Lesnar. Both Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins mentioned the former WWE and UFC Champion during the latest episode of Monday Night Raw, leading to questions around his status with the company. Since then, reports have come out that both sides are “talking” which is a development that is questionable at best. WWE does not need Brock Lesnar and should avoid bringing him back, while the allegations surrounding him are still unanswered.

During the Backstage Pass Q&A, Bill Apter reported “I can’t tell you definitely yes, but my inside people in WWE have told me they’re talking. That’s the most I know.” That was then followed up by WrestleVotes stating “I’ll give you a short answer. Yes.”

Lesnar has not been seen in WWE since SummerSlam 2023, when Cody Rhodes defeated him. He was meant to be involved in both the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, but those plans were scrapped when Janel Grant issued a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and the WWE with several heinous allegations. That lawsuit is still developing with updates as recent as the press conference held by Grant’s team on October 15. Lesnar was not mentioned by name in the lawsuit, but it referenced a “former WWE and UFC Champion” which the Wall Street Journal later confirmed to be Lesnar. The suit alleges that McMahon attempted to use Grant to re-sign Lesnar in 2021 and meet-ups were arranged by never came to fruition.

Nearly ten months later and these allegations have not been solved. WWE went to costly lengths to remove Lesnar from nearly every aspect of the WWE 2k24 video game and pulled him from developing plans because of the serious nature of these allegations. It does not make sense for the company to bring him back while those allegations are still hanging over not only his name but the organization entirely. This would be a horrible “own goal” that the company does not need to make at this time, or at any point until the legal process has run its entire course.

WWE is the largest organization in professional wrestling. What message would be sent to the industry if the company openly welcomed back someone who has such a dark cloud hanging over their presence? The promotion is named in the lawsuit directly and needs to be working overtime to prove its “innocence” while distancing itself from anyone involved in the matter. Bringing back Lesnar while these allegations are still open would fly in the face of that. It would be a bad move that would say a lot about the company, its culture, and the people running it behind the scenes.

On another note, there’s no need for Lesnar at this point. Business is booming without him. Ratings are strong without him. Revenue is surging without him. Fan interest is strong without him. Neither show needs him. There are plenty of top names ready to face both champions and the roster is filled with young talent poised to be the foundations for future success. There’s no need to reach back to a 47-year-old who has the same retread of a match time and time again.

Professional wrestling needs to work harder to clean out some of the worst elements of its culture. If Brock Lesnar is to be brought back that should only occur if he’s proven to be innocent of the allegations against him. That has yet to happen, making it unfortunate that rumors are growing about potential talks between him and the WWE. This would be a mistake the company does not need to make.