Brock Lesnar’s exit after SummerSlam will be the start of a new chapter for the Universal Championship. It is widely assumed that he will drop the title at SummerSlam or on Raw the next night and then start training for his fight with Daniel Cormier in UFC.
Dave Meltzer had a note in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter about the Raw line-ups for the fall. The line-ups reveal that they plan on Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman to headline live events.
It is possible that they would keep these matches as babyface vs. babyface encounters but WWE doesn’t like to do those type of feuds too much, especially if it’s a long-term feud. Braun Strowman is over as a big-time babyface but I suppose they could turn him heel again. Reigns will probably get booed out of the building in Brooklyn but Vince McMahon has always seen him as a top babyface. However, as seen in the unaired Paul Heyman clip that was posted on YouTube, they are certainly teasing the idea of a Reigns heel turn with Heyman as his manager. Heyman has said in the past that he is a huge fan or Reigns.
Lesnar’s status is not set in stone. Although most assume that he will go to UFC, keep in mind that he had offers from UFC in the past but then opted to stay with WWE. If Vince McMahon gives him an offer he can’t refuse, then he could always back out of the fight with Cormier. In fact, on Saturday night, Cormier even said that if the fight with Lesnar does not happen then he would be happy to fight Stipe Miocic again.
