Brock Lesnar's Cancelled WWE Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber Plans Revealed

Brock Lesnar's WWE future is in doubt. The veteran WWE superstar has not been seen on WWE programming since he lost to Cody Rhodes at WWE SummerSlam in August 2023. As WWE approached WrestleMania season, rumors swirled that Lesnar would be slotted into a long-awaited program against WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther, a match that was teased during last year's WWE Royal Rumble. Lesnar ended up wrestling Omos at WWE WrestleMania 39 while Gunther put his gold on the line against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre at that show. Both Lesnar and Gunther left SoFi Stadium with victories last April.

Earlier this month, Lesnar was alluded to in Vince McMahon's latest sexual misconduct allegation, as the most recent lawsuit against McMahon alleged that he sexually trafficked her to "a former UFC Heavyweight Champion the company was actively trying to re-sign" in 2020. 

Brock Lesnar's Scrapped Future Feuds

Brock Lesnar was scheduled to work WWE Royal Rumble this past weekend.

PWInsider reported that Lesnar was "withdrawn" from the Men's Royal Rumble Match and that he would be replaced by a WWE NXT star. That WWE NXT star turned out to be Bron Breakker, who assumed all of Lesnar's spots and eliminations in the match, such as military pressing Gunther and throwing Finn Balor and Jimmy Uso over the top rope. He went on to also eliminate heavyweights Ivar and Omos before getting tossed out by Dominik Mysterio.

POST Wresting added that Mysterio was set to work with Lesnar at WWE Elimination Chamber in Australia next month. This match would have been presumably set up by Mysterio eliminating Lesnar from the Men's Royal Rumble Match. He instead eliminated Lesnar's replacement, Breakker.

Bron Breakker Taking Over Lesnar's Plans?

It's possible that all of Lesnar's future plans get pivoted to Breakker. Following WWE Royal Rumble, cameras caught up with Breakker, and the former NXT Champion teased that his beef with The Judgment Day is just getting started.

"Things didn't go my way, but I'm not done with The Judgment Day by any means," Breakker said. "The Judgment Day's got it coming, I promise you that."

Beyond a potential showdown against Dominik Mysterio at WWE Elimination Chamber, WWE could then slot Breakker against Gunther at WWE WrestleMania 40 for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Breakker had previously been looked at as someone who could dethrone Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship before Cody Rhodes signed with the company. Considering the prestige that has been put on the WWE Intercontinental Title in the time since, those ambitions to strap the rocket to Breakker with a big championship win could be as strongly accomplished with him picking up the IC strap now.