WWE canceled all post-show press conferences for SummerSlam 2025, which took place on August 2 and 3 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The move came as Brock Lesnar made a surprise return on Night 2, his first appearance since SummerSlam 2023. Lesnar attacked John Cena after Cena lost to Cody Rhodes in the main event for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Lesnar’s return comes as he is named in an amended civil lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant in January 2025. The lawsuit accuses former WWE chairman Vince McMahon, former executive John Laurinaitis, and WWE of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and other misconduct. While Lesnar is not a defendant, he is alleged to have received sexually explicit material that McMahon directed Grant to create in 2021 as part of a contract negotiation effort.
According to the complaint, McMahon also arranged a meeting between Lesnar and Grant that did not go ahead because Lesnar was allegedly intoxicated. Grant claims McMahon later asked her to role-play the encounter. She also alleges she was pressured to sign a $3 million non-disclosure agreement, of which only $1 million was paid. Grant is seeking to void the NDA under the Speak Out Act.
The lawsuit includes further claims of repeated abuse by McMahon and Laurinaitis between 2019 and 2022. Laurinaitis reached a confidential settlement in May 2025 and is cooperating with Grant’s legal team. WWE has not commented, and McMahon’s lawyer dismissed the allegations as a “publicity stunt.”
In place of the press conferences, WWE aired a digital post-show panel featuring Big E, Joe Tessitore, Peter Rosenberg, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, and Jey Uso. WWE stated the change was part of a new focus on storyline-driven content.
Lesnar’s return has sparked criticism online, with many fans accusing WWE of ignoring serious allegations for entertainment value. While some in the crowd responded positively to Lesnar, online reactions were mostly negative. The cancellation of the press conferences was widely seen as an effort to avoid addressing the controversy.
SummerSlam 2025 was WWE’s first two-night SummerSlam event. It drew over 53,000 fans and was hosted by Cardi B. The show streamed live on Peacock and Netflix.
