5 return matches for Brock Lesnar at the 2023 WWE Royal Rumble

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Brock Lesnar is WWE's star attraction and one of the last few remaining wrestlers from the Ruthless Aggression Era. Which is why the Beast has a strong following amongst audiences all over the world.

He is the WWE legend fans adore at this stage in his career, and will remain in the top spot albeit sans many championship matches.

He literally steamrolled through Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, Matt Riddle, and Austin Theory earlier this year at the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event in Riyadh en route to winning his second WWE Championship in 2022 alone.

With the benefit of hindsight, all the carnage the Beast displayed on the road to WrestleMania this year may not have been a wise call by the creative.

Nevertheless, he main evented Night Two of Mania and even at SummerSlam, the two biggest events WWE has to offer. Clearly, the Stamford-based company knows his worth and will utilize him to the maximum heading into the Show of Shows to draw even the casual fans.

He reignited his rivalry with Bobby Lashley in October, which led to a Royal Rumble rematch between the duo at Crown Jewel in Riyadh. Lesnar barely escaped the Hurt Lock and picked up a fluke win over The All Mighty, a rare sight to see in the case of the Beast Incarnate.

Let's line up five WWE Superstars for Brock Lesnar's return match, assuming he makes the comeback as soon as the Royal Rumble on January 28, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas.

#5. Brock Lesnar wrestles Austin Theory

 

Austin Theory was the WWE Chairman's pet project. Earlier this year, he crossed paths with Brock Lesnar inside the elimination chamber, becoming the last one eliminated after taking an F5 off the chamber pod.

Both met in a singles match at the WWE MSG Live Event in March. Theory was basically Brock's punching bag all the while. He nevertheless got the exposure being in the main event.

Closing out 2022, Austin is the United States Champion in a feud with Seth Rollins.

While this was common in the McMahon Era, where Lesnar returns and does quick work with a wrestler before moving on to the main program, WWE can creatively capitalize on their history here.

Brock Lesnar vs. Austin Theory in a non-title match could work after issues brew between the former rivals.

#4. A fight between the Cowboy and the Irishman in WWE

Sheamus and Brock Lesnar wrestled live events in 2016 and 2017
Sheamus and Brock Lesnar wrestled live events in 2016 and 2017

Sheamus is at the best point in his career. After forming The Brawling Brutes during a Mania program with New Day earlier this year, the trio became embroiled in a summer feud with Gunther, who in turn reformed Imperium in Cardiff, Wales.

The Intercontinental Championship bout at the Castle was even credited by WWE as a Match of the Year contender. 

Sheamus and Brock Lesnar have a similar career graph, which began during the PG Era for the Celtic Warrior and the Ruthless Aggression Era for the Beast.

Both had a quick rise to the top, defeating the main players of the company during their respective eras – Brock defeated The Rock at SummerSlam 2002 and Sheamus defeated John Cena at TLC 2009. They have both won the King of the Ring and the Royal Rumble, and have ruled SmackDown during their time with the Stamford-based company.

Another fascinating fact is that both wrestlers started off as heels, but the fans turned them into babyfaces owing to their superior in-ring skills and work over the years.

Lesnar turned face after Paul Heyman betrayed him in late 2002. Sheamus moved to SmackDown in 2011 and began his slow-burn rise to the top of the ladder, winning the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 28.

Here's a match that can easily be booked as a return bout for the Beast in 2023. All WWE has to do is have him appear on SmackDown in January and work a segment with The Brawling Brutes.

With the company being unsure if they want Lashley and Lesnar's third chapter to take place at WrestleMania 39, it's safe to say that an intermediate feud for the Beast will keep him strong heading into the Show of Shows.

#3. Brock enters a program with Gunther before the biggest event of the year

 

A Gunther and Brock Lesnar match is no longer a surefire thing for the Grandest Stage. But that shouldn't stop WWE from booking the two wrestlers to go at it on the road to WrestleMania.

If The Beast's third chapter with The All Mighty is being saved for the biggest show of the year, then Gunther could be the perfect foil for Lesnar through Royal Rumble and the Chamber.

The Ring General and The Beast need to to have a match in 2023, and if WWE wants to freshen things up beginning the new year, then having Lesnar cost Gunther the Intercontinental Championship is a good place to start, yes?

Theory benefitted from a program with Lesnar earlier this year. Gunther could use the momentum of feuding with the former 10-time WWE champion before Mania, then move on to a big match at the Show of Shows.

#2. Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar's feud-ending match marking a WWE trilogy

Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar's epic in 2022 needs a finale
Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar's epic in 2022 needs a finale

Bobby Lashley finally got his wish to wrestle the Beast in the squared circle in 2022. He even managed to score a victory over him to win the WWE Championship at Royal Rumble.

At Elimination Chamber, due to an injury, The All Mighty was removed from the eponymous match, and Lesnar would go on to win the contest regaining the title. After seemingly ending their feud there, the two wrestlers moved on to other programs.

On the October 10 episode of RAW, however, Lesnar returned to television after losing the feud-ending Last Man Standing match at SummerSlam to Roman Reigns. Lesnar interrupted Lashley's pre-match promo and subsequently attacked him. The All Mighty wound up dropping his United States Championship to Seth Rollins moments later.

The two behemoths wrestled at Crown Jewel, where Lesnar was mostly dominated by the former WWE Champion for the most part, but ultimately the Beast prevailed, albeit with a fluke victory.

Prior to this year's Royal Rumble Premium Live Event, Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar was a dream match. Whilst their matches never hit high gear, that could all change with a third installment.

If the two have their inevitable clash as soon as the Royal Rumble at the Alamodome, they can move on to a fresh WrestleMania program.

#1. The Scotsman who took out the Beast at the Rumble three years ago

In 2020, Drew McIntyre eliminated then-WWE Champion Brock Lesnar from the Royal Rumble match
In 2020, Drew McIntyre eliminated then-WWE Champion Brock Lesnar from the Royal Rumble match

Back in 2020, the world was struggling with the changes in lifestyle that came with the pandemic. The WWE Superstars found themselves wrestling in an empty arena at the Performance Center.

Unfortunately, this robbed the Scottish Warrior of a proper coronation at WrestleMania 36 with thousands of fans in attendance. At the event, Drew McIntyre defeated Brock Lesnar to win the WWE Championship.

McIntyre also had a moment of the year at the Rumble that year, where he eliminated the Beast after the latter was literally tossing every wrestler that walked out over the top rope. 

 On Sony Sports Network’s Namaste Drew show, Drew McIntyre challenged Brock Lesnar to a bout at Royal Rumble, noting:

“I’ll take him (at Royal Rumble 2023). I wanna get that extra victory over Brock. If Brock and I cross paths again, it’s gonna be a battle."

At the 2022 Rumble, the Scottish Warrior found himself the runner-up after being eliminated by the Beast himself. Their match is still fresh and the two may finally get enough time to put on a great fight as opposed to their four-minute match at Mania during the pandemic.

Do you think the McIntyre-Lesnar program still hasn't really had a solid chapter since their Royal Rumble 2020 meeting? Sound off in the comments section below.

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