Projecting Brock Lesnar's Role Within WWE After Raw-SmackDown Brand Split

Brock Lesnar will be fighting in his first MMA bout in nearly five years when he returns at UFC 200 on July 9. But win or lose, he's also heading back to WWE for SummerSlam on August 21. It is arguably the most anticipated one-two punch fans of both sports have ever witnessed.

But Lesnar will not be returning to the same old WWE; this will be a divided company, featuring a split roster between Raw and SmackDown. So what happens to The Beast Incarnate when he comes back?

To say this is an exciting time for fans would be an understatement.

It would be big for any WWE Superstar to do this, but Lesnar is not just any WWE Superstar. He is one of the most popular and most ferocious competitors Vince McMahon's company has ever seen. Much like there is only one Undertaker or one Stone Cold Steve Austin, there is only one Brock Lesnar.

His fans would have it no other way.

He sells and bumps like a pro wrestler, but he attacks like a shoot fighter. He works matches in which his opponent can get back up and walk away afterward, but he could legitimately choke them out or possibly end their careers.

If anyone working in the business today could be called a "real" pro wrestler, it's Lesnar.

So when that personality is inserted back into a fictional reality after competitively fighting in a steel cage, how will he act? How does WWE book him in a different environment, where he's now expected to play along with separate rosters?

The easiest answer is the right one: Lesnar just needs to be himself.

This is a guy who should not be controlled too much. Much like CM Punk, Lesnar is at his best when he's allowed to get comfortable and explore his character. This doesn't mean he should come back and deliver German suplexes to everyone within 10 feet of him.

But if he does, that would be fine, too.

Lesnar's appeal is his explosive and violent athleticism. "Suplex City" is a tagline that works for him, and it's a way to draw fans in. He's so good at what he does because he's not being forced to be something other than what he is.

Lesnar is the real deal in every way, and fans would know if he were being used in the wrong way.

So Lesnar needs his usual freedom when he comes back. But does that mean he should be free of a full-time roster? Should he be treated in the same vein as a world heavyweight champion who travels between programs?

He is a special and unique attraction, and he's a big money draw, so why should he be bound to just Raw or SmackDown?

Lesnar's appearances would mean more if they were more unpredictable. When he came back to WWE in the past, fans expected he would do so on Raw. But why not SmackDown? Why not switch it up and boost ratings for Tuesdays?

For that matter, why not book him exclusively for SmackDown?

If WWE is serious about making the new live SmackDown work, why not draft Lesnar to the roster? He may not be there every week, but whenever he's on TV, he would only be on SmackDown. Fans would tune in every time he's advertised, and the company could even book him to work a match on TV as well.

Lesnar would become the No. 2 star on Tuesday nights, possibly behind Dean Ambrose or John Cena.

Of course, the question of what he does after he's drafted is up for debate. Does he immediately go back to world title contention upon his return? Depending on whether WWE choose to split the primary championship again, fans could witness Lesnar compete for one of the belts.

And he could win.

What better way to kick off the brand split—and get fans talking—than to crown Lesnar as a world champion? He is capable of carrying it, and fans would instantly buy in to him as champion. But he must be booked as a top guy to win gold when he comes back.

He's beaten nearly everyone who counts in WWE, and the only competition he has left are the younger talents. He would be most valuable as a leader in the locker room and ring.

Lesnar vs. Samoa Joe is a dream match that could happen.

Lesnar is all business. He will go along with the plan, provided it's logical and provided his character is treated in the right way. It's all about making money for WWE, and any scenario that Lesnar can participate in that would make that happen is good business.

The brand split means a fresh start for WWE and fans. It's also a fresh start for Lesnar, and if the booking is right, he will succeed at an even higher level than he did before.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.