Brock Lesnar will step away from WWE television before returning for the 2026 Road to WrestleMania, according to multiple reports. After his win over John Cena at Wrestlepalooza, he is slated for both the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 42 as the centerpiece of a major long-term storyline. Fightful reported that Lesnar will be off programming “for a while,” while WrestleVotes and Sportskeeda Wrestling highlighted his scheduled appearances at the two marquee events.
An unnamed source told Sportskeeda that WWE has mapped out a massive creative direction for Lesnar. “He has one of the biggest plans lined up for him heading into the show. The details are not ironed out but there is a lot happening that he is supposed to be at the center of. Now things change but Brock will definitely be a big feature and it will be unforgettable absolutely,” the source said.
The storyline is designed to re-establish Lesnar as an unstoppable force before a younger performer earns credibility by defeating him. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter identified Jacob Fatu, Bron Breakker, and Cody Rhodes as the leading candidates positioned for this opportunity.
The angle officially started at Wrestlepalooza on September 20 in Indianapolis. The show marked Lesnar’s first bout in two years, where he put Cena down with six F-5s and attacked him after the bell. Reports noted that the booking was deliberate, crafted to restore Lesnar’s aura of kayfabe dominance.
Rumors of a possible Cena victory were dismissed by several outlets. The Wrestling Observer emphasized that WWE did not bring Lesnar back to lose immediately. Billi Bhatti echoed this on the Wrestling Informer podcast, calling the speculation “100% bulls–t.”