Predicting When and How Brock Lesnar Will Return to WWE Programming

Brock Lesnar has not been seen on WWE programming since dropping the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36, but it is only a matter of time before The Beast resurfaces.

Lesnar tends to take time off after WrestleMania, and 2019 was no exception after dropping the title to Seth Rollins. Brock returned as a surprise entrant in the men's Money in the Bank ladder match the following month, however, and cashed in on Rollins in July to regain the title.

While it is unlikely that Lesnar will be a surprise addition to the Money in the Bank ladder match two years in a row, the idea of Brock going after the person who beat him at WrestleMania when he returns holds true.

Lesnar was essentially embarrassed by McIntyre at WrestleMania, as McIntyre kicked out after Lesnar hit him with the F-5 several times and then hit him with multiple Claymore Kicks for the win.

In addition to wanting revenge from a storyline perspective, Lesnar has been a constant presence in the WWE or Universal Championship picture over the past few years, and there is no reason to believe that will change.

One factor that could have an impact on when Lesnar returns is the coronavirus pandemic and how long the promotion is required to keep running shows at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, with no fans in attendance.

Ideally, Lesnar's return could be saved for a show with fans so that it could come across as a big deal and receive the desired reaction.

Assuming at least some fans are allowed to start attending events by July, the target date for Lesnar's return should be July 19, which is the Extreme Rules pay-per-view. Whether it is held in San Jose, California, in front of thousands of fans as scheduled or the Performance Center with a limited number of fans in attendance, Extreme Rules makes plenty of sense for Brock's resurfacing.

It is a safe bet that McIntyre will headline that show and retain the WWE title in the main event, at which point Lesnar could make a surprise appearance and attack the champion. Perhaps Lesnar could even lay out the Money in the Bank winner as well if they try to cash in.

Lesnar's return must come with the stated goal of winning back the WWE Championship from McIntyre, and their rematch should happen at one of the biggest shows of the year in SummerSlam, which is scheduled for August.

If WWE sets the stage for Lesnar vs. McIntyre II at SummerSlam, much like it did with Lesnar vs. Rollins last year, they can have a longer and more competitive match to supplement what they did at WrestleMania.

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