Brock Lesnar’s destructive return at WWE SummerSlam was just the beginning, as “The Beast Incarnate” is tentatively scheduled to be a part of the two biggest WWE events of early 2026. According to a new report from WrestleVotes Radio, Lesnar is currently on the books to appear at both the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 42. The WWE creative team will be working under the assumption that Lesnar will be available for these major premium live events unless they are notified otherwise.
This long-term planning comes after Lesnar’s dominant victory over John Cena at Wrestlepalooza. As a result of it being a squash match, it was intended to be a significant relaunch for one of the company’s biggest attractions. Lesnar’s return match at Wrestlepalooza was his first time wrestling in a WWE ring in over two years, since his loss to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam 2023.
He had been pulled from creative plans in early 2024, which resulted in his removal from the Royal Rumble match and the cancellation of a program with GUNTHER. His return saw him decisively defeat John Cena in under ten minutes. However, it’s been reported that a rematch between them is not planned.
The potential inclusion of Brock Lesnar on the cards for the 2026 Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 42 adds a layer of star power to both events. The 2026 Royal Rumble is set to be a historic show, as it will be the first time the event has been held outside of North America, emanating from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, January 31.
This will be the first of three major WWE events in Saudi Arabia in 2026. Following that, WrestleMania 42 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the second consecutive year.
On today’s episode of WrestleVotes Radio, we dive into the futures of Brock Lesnar & Logan Paul, internal reaction to ESPN’s PLE debut, John Cena’s incoming final match announcement, and much more!
Join us: https://t.co/XvvJw5wbNs
— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) September 25, 2025
