The wrestling community is still talking about Brock Lesnar’s return at SummerSlam 2025. While WWE tries to cover the issue up, claiming Lesnar was “cleared,” fans and some media members are calling the company out for its actions. One of the biggest questions is why the company felt like now was the time for Lesnar to return. All indicators point toward the fact that the company did not need Lesnar in any way.
Did fans in attendance lose their mind in New Jersey when Brock Lesnar’s music hit? Absolutely, they did. Did fans race to their social media platforms to show support for Lesnar?” Yes, they did that as well. But did WWE “need” Lesnar’s star power? No, the company did not.
By all indicators, WWE’s business is booming. The company just announced a major plan to move to ESPN, one of the several business wins that have occurred in the last two to three years as the promotion surges under new leadership. WWE content frequently scores high marks on its streaming services. Every PLE seems to break a record compared to years past. None of these metrics was down to necessitate a need for Lesnar’s aura to draw fans and revenue.
There’s also the question of WWE’s ability to build new stars. This speaks directly to Triple H’s leadership as Chief Content Officer. WWE’s main event scene is growing older. Beyond just John Cena, who is taking his retirement tour. Roman Reigns is actively talking about retirement or a reduced schedule. Seth Rollins, CM Punk, AJ Styles, and others are also getting older. Outside of Bron Breakker and potentially Jacob Fatu (who can’t be considered young at 35), WWE has shown a hesitancy to build up any new performers as the future of the company in the men’s division.
Cena’s retirement tour could have been a chance to correct that. Triple H tried to throw Lesnar’s return at Cena’s feet, but the 17-time champion quickly ducked that accusation. So, let’s say WWE used this moment to create a new star through an intricate story leading to his retirement. Imagine a performer like Oba Femi smashing Cena and sending the former champion away for good. Or someone like Trick Williams using the opportunity to establish himself as a charismatic performer for years to come. Those were moments WWE could have built to using a new name, instead of going back to the same old tired booking with Brock Lesnar.
WWE consistently misses the mark when it comes to developing new stars. Brock Lesnar’s return points to yet another example. The company did not need to bring him “home” and in many ways, this is just a tired retread of the same.