Credit: WWE/X
The main event of SummerSlam 2025 Night 2 saw Cody Rhodes reclaim the Undisputed WWE Championship in a hellacious street fight against John Cena. After his victory, Rhodes vacated the ring to allow John Cena a moment with the crowd on his farewell tour. Then suddenly, a familiar theme song sounded at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, sending the thousands of WWE fans into a frenzy.
It was a signal to the arrival of Brock Lesnar, who had not been seen in WWE since his loss to Rhodes at SummerSlam two years ago. Lesnar, also known as “The Beast Incarnate” circled the ring, stared at Cena and suddenly delivered his “F5” move to close the show.
WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque broke his silence on Lesnar’s comeback during the SummerSlam post-show, shedding light on the significance of the return and hinting at its implications for Cena’s ongoing retirement tour. “My reaction was exactly what I thought it was gonna be, which was, if there had been a roof on this place, it wouldn’t be here anymore. The dynamic in the room changes when The Beast is here,” said Triple H.
While talking about Lesnar’s comeback, he added, “Seeing Brock Lesnar come back, anything you thought was happening sort of all goes out the window because the factor of Brock now just changes that dynamic so incredibly. It makes it unpredictable.” Reports claim that Lesnar’s return was a closely guarded secret, WWE flew him into Minnesota and then New Jersey, on Saturday, keeping him hidden until just before his appearance during the main event on Sunday.
Triple H reveals the return of Brock Lesnar was planned by John Cena
Speaking on the SummerSlam post-show, Triple H also revealed that Lesnar’s return was orchestrated by John Cena himself, who is in the midst of his retirement tour in 2025. “One of the first things I said to him (Cena) is, ‘Who do you want, and how?’ And we’re working through that,” he added.
Lesnar’s absence from WWE programming stemmed from his involvement in a January 2024 lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE. The lawsuit alleged that McMahon sent explicit content of Grant to Lesnar and suggested sexual acts as part of a new contract, though Lesnar is not a defendant in the case. These allegations led to speculation that Lesnar was on a “ban list” by WWE’s parent company, TKO, a claim fueled by UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier last month.
Now, the return sets the stage for a potential match between Lesnar and Cena, possibly at WWE’s upcoming premium live event, Clash in Paris, on August 31, 2025. The two have a storied rivalry, with iconic encounters at SummerSlam 2014 where Lesnar famously delivered 16 German suplexes to Cena, birthing the “Suplex City” moniker. As a 10-time world champion and former UFC heavyweight champion, Lesnar’s crossover appeal reportedly remains unmatched, despite the legal cloud.
