Backstage News on Brock Lesnar Returning to SmackDown After Walking Out

We have some backstage news to pass along regarding Brock Lesnar returning to SmackDown last week after initially walking out.

On last week’s episode of SmackDown, it was reported that Lesnar, who was initially advertised for the show, walked out hours before the show began after news began to circulate that Vince McMahon retired.

However, later on in the night to close the show, Lesnar did end up coming out, attacking Theory to close the show.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer reports that Lesnar walked out the moment word began to go around on Vince’s retirement.

Meltzer adds that exact details of what happened are being kept confidential, but Lesnar did return to the TD Garden in Boston at around 8:30 PM, about seven hours after his walkout.

It’s said that WWE management kept in constant contact with Lesnar after his walkout. They then “made a deal with him” to come back. It’s not known whether this deal was regarding creative or a more lucrative financial deal.

Brock Lesnar
(via WWE)

As for the reason for his walkout, it remains unknown if it truly was because of McMahon’s retirement, or if it was “brilliant business” on his part given the situation. The only person who truly knows, Lesnar, will likely never tell.

One source told WON that Brock Lesnar, who is unarguably WWE’s biggest star, walking out would have sent a “terrible public message,” creating the image of the company being “in chaos” without McMahon.

With that being said, WWE went out of their way to get Lesnar back on the show, seeing him as a must-have.

Meltzer also confirmed that alternate plans were in place if Lesnar didn’t return. Several names were pitched as potential replacement opponents for Reigns at SummerSlam.

It’s said that Lesnar seemed “very happy” when he returned to the arena, which could be an indication that, whatever deal WWE gave him, clearly did the job.

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