two men wrestling in a ring
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Brock Lesnar made a stunning return to WWE at SummerSlam 2025, ambushing John Cena in a surprise attack that left fans and insiders reeling. Once thought to be permanently sidelined due to serious legal allegations, Lesnar's unexpected appearance has thrown his status with WWE into chaos and raised new questions about whether the so-called 'ban' has quietly been lifted.

Surprise Comeback Stuns Fans

Lesnar, who had not been seen in WWE since SummerSlam 2023, emerged from the crowd during Cena's celebration segment at the 2025 SummerSlam event in Cleveland, launching a brutal and unannounced attack that left the 16-time world champion sprawled out in the ring. The live audience erupted in disbelief, and the footage quickly went viral online, igniting speculation that Lesnar is back in the fold despite his controversial absence.

This marks Lesnar's first WWE appearance in nearly two years and follows months of speculation that he was 'done for good' due to his involvement in a lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant.

WrestleMania 41 Snub Fuelled Ban Rumours

Lesnar's exclusion from WrestleMania 41 in April 2025 had reinforced assumptions that he was persona non grata in the company. Despite fan excitement over a potential Lesnar–Cena clash, WWE omitted Lesnar from all promotional materials. Cena instead faced and defeated Cody Rhodes to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

WWE sources had reportedly removed Lesnar from all creative plans after he was named in Grant's amended lawsuit, which included explosive claims that Vince McMahon offered her to Lesnar during contract talks. Though Lesnar was not a defendant in the case, ESPN confirmed that he was 'officially identified' in the court documents.

Daniel Cormier Claims Lesnar is 'Banned' from WWE

Adding fuel to the fire, UFC legend Daniel Cormier claimed on a podcast that Lesnar was 'on the ban list' and would not be returning to WWE 'any time soon'. Sportskeeda noted that Cormier's comments came just days after Lesnar was spotted publicly, further stoking online debate about whether the ban was real or part of a bigger backstage strategy.

Lesnar's removal from WWE 2K24 and his erasure from promotional videos in 2024 and early 2025 appeared to confirm that WWE was distancing itself. However, the shocking SummerSlam ambush now calls all of that into question.

Is This the Start of a New Feud — or a One-Off?

Fans and analysts are now scrambling to figure out what Lesnar's return means. Is WWE rehiring him amid the legal fallout? Was this a one-off cameo, or could it reignite the long-awaited rivalry with Cena, possibly leading to a blockbuster showdown at a future premium live event?

Some speculate that WWE may be testing the waters for a Lesnar comeback, especially as the Janel Grant lawsuit continues to unfold. Others believe the return was a calculated risk to boost ratings for one of WWE's marquee events.

One thing is clear: if Lesnar was truly banned, he just broke it, and John Cena took the first hit.

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