Brock Lesnar demolished John Cena in the opening match of WWE Wrestlepalooza, then added insult to injury with a post-match assault. WWE cameras caught young fans in tears as Cena was left battered in his final match in Indianapolis—a reaction Lesnar and Paul Heyman aimed to provoke.
Heyman made a surprise appearance before the match, personally introducing Lesnar ahead of the bout. In a post-show message, Heyman reiterated a point that the pair made over eleven years ago after Lesnar became the first man to beat The Undertaker at WrestleMania.
“Here’s what I’ll say about Brock. I said it the night after Brock Lesnar conquered The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania: Brock Lesnar is not here to put smiles on people’s faces. Brock Lesnar is here to put tears in the eyes of children.”
Wrestlepalooza marked Lesnar’s first WWE match since SummerSlam 2023, where he lost to Cody Rhodes. In early 2024, he was pulled from creative plans, leading to his removal from the Men’s Royal Rumble and the cancellation of a reported feud with GUNTHER.
Lesnar’s two-year absence was tied to Janel Grant’s lawsuit, which repeatedly referenced the former UFC Champion. During Wrestlepalooza, one fan held up a sign reading, “he shouldn’t be here and we all know why,” a direct nod to the ongoing allegations against WWE and Vince McMahon.
Regardless of what fans may think, Lesnar is back, and his reunion with Heyman reunites one of the most successful pairings of all time. Now, Lesnar can look ahead to doing more in the ring, and making many more children tear up.