Brock Lesnar’s latest comeback will likely reshape the entire WWE landscape. In that regard, let’s take a look at some of the current superstars who will be most affected by his return.
Before we proceed, we would like to inform you that this is an opinion piece.
The Beast’s reappearance in the Stamford-based company is certainly going to shake things up, which means many of the current storylines likely won’t proceed as fans predicted.
In this article, we look at 5 such stars who are likely to be most affected by Lesnar’s return:
#5. Bron Breakker
The two-time former NXT Champion’s stock within the company has been on a continuous upward trajectory. Breakker made a massive impact upon arriving on the main roster and went on to defeat Sami Zayn for his first Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam last year.
After his second reign with the title ended at WrestleMania 41, Bron Breakker aligned with Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman and was touted as the future face of the business, something that fans and pundits have agreed upon.
Most of the WWE Universe has speculated that Breakker would be the one to turn face and break away from Seth Rollins’ faction. It wouldn’t have surprised anyone if he wanted to snatch the World Heavyweight Title away from The Visionary. However, the arrival of The Beast Incarnate could greatly affect that storyline.
Meanwhile, Brock Lesnar has a storied past with Seth Rollins, who still gloats about his victory over The Beast, and to add to that, The Conqueror did not seem to have forgiven Paul Heyman for betraying him in the past, which could be a storyline Lesnar can be involved in once his feud with John Cena is done.
This storyline also makes sense as it gives The Beast Incarnate the chance to settle some longstanding personal matters, and possibly even go after the World Heavyweight Championship. While the silver lining in this situation is that fans might get to see a Breakker vs Lesnar matchup, it will delay a naturally progressing storyline that would have elevated the former Intercontinental Champion to main event status.
#4. LA Knight
LA Knight is one of the most popular stars in the company at present. He is the one talent who fans have been consistently demanding to be pushed to win the top prize. While he has competed for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title, he fell short, and after a long spell of competing in the midcard, fans were elated to see him take on Seth Rollins and his faction recently.
Though fans were initially worried about the storyline being affected by Rollins’ supposed injury, which occurred when the two stars faced off at SNME XL, their fears were dismissed after The Visionary cashed in on Punk, something that gave fans hope that LA Knight would probably be in the mix for the title.
However, for reasons mentioned above, LA Knight could be pushed out of the scene altogether, as Brock Lesnar has had rivalries with both Rollins and CM Punk.
#3. Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns has had a multi-year rivalry with The Conqueror. The two have fought for titles across multiple premium live events, several of which ended with The Tribal Chief on the winning end.
Reigns appeared to be heading for a feud with Rollins, but Brock Lesnar’s return may alter the situation, with The Beast Incarnate standing to gain more from a feud with The Visionary than his former Shield stablemate.
Another factor to be considered is that Lesnar being in the World Title picture will grab more eyeballs to WWE’s product, thereby making the OTC an afterthought in this entire situation.
#2. Gunther
The Ring General and Lesnar had a brief encounter during the 2023 edition of the Royal Rumble, which got fans excited about a potential match-up between the two behemoths.
This clash was something that the then-Intercontinental Champion Gunther was also interested in, and it would have seen The Beast face The Ring General for the gold. However, the Austrian grappler is currently without a title after his recent loss to CM Punk at SummerSlam, and unless there are some massive stakes involved, fans could look at a feud between the two as a redundant match-up.
If WWE wants to book a program between the two stars, an angle could be Gunther being Lesnar’s final opponent. However, given The Beast Incarnate’s popularity and competitiveness, his retirement seems to be pretty far away. Therefore, unless a situation arises like the one mentioned above or there is a major title at stake, the promotion would see no reason to create a storyline involving these two megastars.
#1. Cody Rhodes
Yes, the same man to whom Lesnar figuratively had passed the torch could be the most affected by his return. The effects of the same are being seen already. Cody Rhodes battled John Cena to reclaim his Undisputed WWE Title, but Lesnar’s return stole the spotlight entirely, overshadowing Rhodes’ hard-fought yet epic victory over The Last Real Champion.
While Rhodes has beaten The Conqueror twice in 2023, the threat that Lesnar could be his next opponent always looms large. Given Brock Lesnar’s title reigns have always been successful in drawing attention and increasing viewership, WWE may consider putting him in the title scene with Rhodes once Lesnar is done with Cena.
While this doesn’t mean that Rhodes’ current run with the title will be short-lived, it is always a possibility.
Conclusion: Is Brock Lesnar’s Return A Matter Of Worry For These WWE Stars?
While Brock Lesnar’s return is huge, the above names being affected are just a possibility. How WWE books The Beast Incarnate after his feud with John Cena is what will dictate his impact on the landscape of the company.
With no official update on whether his reappearance was just a one-off situation or whether he was permanently back with the company, one can only wait and watch how the situation plays out.
Who do you think will be most affected by Brock Lesnar’s return? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook and X/Twitter.