WWE Expected To Bring Back Huge Star For SummerSlam

WWE could soon be getting a big upgrade in the star power department.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer (h/t Cageside Seats) recently revealed that Brock Lesnar will likely be back in time for SummerSlam: “On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that he expects Brock Lesnar will be booked for SummerSlam, even if there are no fans in attendance.”

There are still questions about what this year’s SummerSlam will look like. Because it is unlikely that the event will take place in Boston with fans as was originally planned, the possibility remains that the “Big Four” pay-per-view is either moved to a new location or postponed until later in the year. Though it looks like the show will happen in some capacity, there has been widespread speculation that Lesnar—who has been absent from WWE programming since WrestleMania 36 in April—wouldn’t return to Monday Night Raw until WWE begins running fan-filled live events once again.

The sentiment is that utilizing Lesnar on these audience-less Performance Center shows would be a “waste” of Lesnar even though Vince McMahon has blamed Raw’s tanking viewership on the absence of “The Beast.” WWE has limited its presence of part-time stars and “special attractions” during this fan-less era, with names like Lesnar, Ronda Rousey, The Undertaker, John Cena and Goldberg as well as a top full-timer like Bray Wyatt all noticeably gone from WWE programming. WWE has made a few exceptions with the presence of stars like Randy Orton and Edge, but that hasn’t helped Raw’s TV ratings at all as they continue to plummet.

Just a week ago, it looked like Lesnar would be off TV indefinitely, but things have changed over the course of the past several days.

With the addition of a free tier of the WWE Network, WWE is no longer offering its long-running “first month free” promotion for the over-the-top service, which means a couple of things. One, WWE fans can sample the Network simply by using the free tier, and two, there is now going to be more pressure on WWE’s biggest draws to bring fans to the WWE Network. With the free tier not including pay-per-views, fans will now have to pay the $10 a month to view PPV events, so WWE is going to have to do a better job of building up these cards than it has done in recent years.

Especially with notable top stars like Roman Reigns and Becky Lynch off TV indefinitely while WWE is also without upper midcard performers like Sami Zayn, the importance of the presence of Lesnar can’t be overstated. Although fans seem to be split regarding exactly how big of a draw Lesnar is (and there is no publicly available evidence that he’s considerably boosting TV or WWE Network viewership), his star power is undeniable, and he brings an air of authenticity to WWE programming that not very many stars do.

Since WrestleMania 36, Raw has been relying heavily on relatively unproven talents, especially on the heel side where the likes of Andrade, Angel Garza and others have been quickly pushed up the card. While Raw viewership always dips during the post-WrestleMania lull, there is little doubt that McMahon is right and that WWE’s sudden focus on stars who many WWE fans are unfamiliar with is contributing to the company’s disappointing audience.

That could expedite WWE’s desire to bring back Lesnar as soon as possible, and even though there isn’t an obvious feud in place for the gargantuan superstar, potential feuds with stars like Aleister Black, Bobby Lashley, Edge and Kevin Owens could all make for great rivalries for “The Beast.”