WWE has a boatload of stars potentially on their way back to television ahead of this year’s SummerSlam, including John Cena, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Edge. And while fans have been crossing their fingers for Brock Lesnar to also return so the dream match with WWE Champion Bobby Lashley can finally happen, it doesn’t look like that’s a possibility. Lesnar hasn’t been seen on WWE television since WrestleMania 36 and, while technically a free agent, was expected to return once WWE started touring again. However, Wrestling Observer‘s Dave Meltzer has repeatedly reported WWE isn’t planning on bringing him back for the Aug. 21 event.
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“While there are a lot of rumors regarding the return of Lesnar, as of June 15 there was no deal for him to return imminently. Of course it always could happen especially with the Saudi show late in the year and next year’s Mania,” Meltzer stated this week (h/t Sportskeeda). “SummerSlam would also make sense but right now that’s still not anything agreed to nor expected at this point.”
WrestlingNews.co‘s Paul Davis followed that up with a new report this weekend, stating WWE’s merchandise team has not been working on any new merch for “The Beast.”
“If Lesnar was going to return at SummerSlam, new merchandise would be in the works by now,” Davis wrote.
The Mat Men Podcast’s Andrew Zarian added in a bit more info on Sunday after Fightful Select dropped a report confirming WWE and Lesnar were in talks.
WWE originally wanted a deal set for Brock for SummerSlam and ended up pivoting to Cena for the main event. https://t.co/h4rldbysWl
— Andrew Zarian (@AndrewZarian) June 20, 2021
The big match that is reportedly still on the table is WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. John Cena as the show’s headliner. Cena has played coy about when his return to WWE will happen, but Reigns gave a few comments about that dream match (along with one against The Rock) earlier this week.
“That’s a dream for a lot of our fans. It ain’t a dream for [The Rock’s fans]. I get this a lot with Dwayne and John Cena as well,” Reigns said while on SportsNation. “These guys are doing very well for themselves, there’s no question about it. I don’t know, if I were these guys, I don’t know if I would want to come back and deal with me. I’m a problem right now for everybody. So if I were them, I would stay on set. I’d keep pumping out these streaming service movies. Don’t come to my ring.”
“If John wants to get smashed, then he knows where I’m at, when it comes to whooping people’s ass, I do not discriminate,” he later told the ACC Network, referencing the rumored match with Cena at SummerSlam in August. “Luchadores, mat wrestlers, legends, Hollywood superstars, anybody. Anybody can get it.”
