Brock Lesnar returns to WWE: Why was UFC star named in lawsuit against Vince McMahon?

Brock Lesnar, who returned to WWE at SummerSlam on Sunday, August 4, was previously named in a lawsuit against Vince McMahon.

Published on: Aug 4, 2025, 07:49:46 IST

By Sumanti Sen

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Brock Lesnar returned to WWE at SummerSlam on Sunday, August 4. This was his first appearance for the company since the summer of 2023.

Brock Lesnar returns to WWE: When UFC star was named in lawsuit against Vince McMahon (Image Credit: WWE)

Lesnar returned after Cody Rhodes beat John Cena to win the undisputed WWE title. The last time Lensar was seen on WWE was when he performed at SummerSlam in August 2023 when he lost to Rhodes.

Why was UFC star Brock Lesnar named in lawsuit against Vince McMahon?

In January 2024, former WWE employee Janel Grant officially identified Lesnar in a federal lawsuit she filed against the company and former executive Vince McMahon. Grant identified Lesnar as someone McMahon allegedly offered her to for sex in 2021, per an amended complaint filed in U.S. District Court. The original complaint referenced a star wrestler, but did not name Lesnar. Lesnar, who fought in the UFC primarily from 2008 to 2011, was not listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.

At the time, McMahon called the amended complaint a "publicity stunt” in a statement his attorney issued. "As expected, the proposed amended complaint is nothing more than the latest publicity stunt in an ongoing smear campaign," McMahon attorney Jessica Rosenberg said in a statement, according to ESPN. "It is filled with desperate falsehoods from a team that continues to disregard the law and the truth."

Grant worked in the company's legal and talent departments. She accused McMahon of forcing her into a sexual relationship to keep her job, and asking her to create "personalized sexual content" for Lesnar in July 2021. At the time, McMahon was trying to keep Lesnar under contract with the WWE. Grant also claimed that McMahon flew Lesnar to Connecticut in 2021 for a sexual encounter, but it ultimately did not happen. According to the amended complaint, McMahon even demanded that Grant create "customized pornographic content" for longtime producer Michael Hayes.

McMahon denied the allegations. Grant reportedly sought unspecified monetary damages at the time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.