Latest backstage details regarding Brock Lesnar’s return to WWE at Summerslam 2021

Brock Lesnar made his return to WWE at the 2021 Summerslam PPV and has a new contract with the company.

According to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, Lesnar’s appearance was a last-minute decision that was said to be influenced by FOX, CM Punk debuting with AEW, and John Cena’s departure.

In regards to FOX, Meltzer noted that the network was “very upset” about WWE not making a big offer to keep CM Punk from going to AEW and the timing of the situation helped Lesnar get a better deal. Meltzer wrote the following…

“While as best we can tell there was nothing to AEW wanting him because the money to get him would be so high, one story has it that Vince McMahon didn’t know that, but it appears it wasn’t so much McMahon or FOX fearing his going to AEW as much as needing a big news story for the weekend as a counter.”

Meltzer added that the original idea was to do Roman Reigns vs. Lesnar down the line (possibly Wrestlemania 38 if The Rock was unavailable) but now the match could be rushed as soon as the Crown Jewel PPV in Saudi Arabia.