After losing in his latest bid to dethrone Roman Reigns for
the Unified WWE Universal Championship, Brock Lesnar has disappeared again from
television, leaving many fans to wonder when he’ll be back.

With Triple H in charge of the creative process behind the
scenes in WWE now, how the company books the Superstar and when he returns is a
major question mark heading into the fall.

Here are the best-case, worst-case and most likely scenarios
in which The Beast returns to WWE programming.

Best-Case Scenario

The best-case scenario for the return of Lesnar would be to
not speak of The Beast until his music hits and he walks through the curtain to
the ring as an entrant in the 2023 edition of the Royal Rumble.

Surprise returns are one of the reasons the Royal Rumble is
such a beloved event, and allowing Lesnar to fly under the radar before making his
triumphant return would create a memorable moment.

The Beast should come out early in the match and devastate
the Superstars in the ring before the man he will eventually face at WrestleMania
enters. Instead of winning and challenging for the world championship, Lesnar
should get dumped over the top rope, thus creating a blood feud with no need
for a title on the line.

Some of the best options to eliminate The Beast from the
Battle Royal and face him at WrestleMania 39 include Lashley, Ciampa, Damien
Priest, Seth Rollins, Karrion Kross and, as a long shot, Gable Steveson.

Worst-Case Scenario

For the eighth time in the company’s history, WWE will host
a premium live event from Saudi Arabia when the 2022 edition of Crown Jewel emanates
from Riyadh on November 5.

With the high-dollar shows holding so much importance for
the brand, there is a good chance that WWE books Lesnar’s return match for Crown
Jewel. The Beast may be a wrestling machine, but he’s also a savvy businessman
who knows the kind of payday that being booked in Saudia Arabia brings every time.

The true problem with Lesnar’s return being booked for Crown
Jewel is that it usually doesn’t mean anything. From the return of Shawn
Michaels to Goldberg beating The Fiend, the company’s booking decisions make
little-to-no sense in Saudi Arabia.

If Lesnar returns to WWE Programming at Crown Jewel,
wrestling fans can expect a short bout that sees The Beast utterly
dominate a popular Superstar before simply walking away with a win, just as he
did against Kevin Owens, Kofi Kingston or the many other performers who
suffered the wrath of the former UFC champion.

With Theory holding the Money in the Bank briefcase, he
would make an ideal candidate to step up to Lesnar, only to be completely destroyed
in a matter of seconds. With so many storyline options, The Beast returning in Riyadh
is the worst-case scenario.

Most Likely Scenario

The most likely scenario would be that Brock Lesnar returns
at the Day 1 event in January to challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE Universal
Championship. While The Beast’s return would boost the show, the champion
should emerge victorious.

McIntyre has been on a collision course with Roman Reigns
for several months, and he should finally receive his official coronation in
front of the European fans during Clash at the Castle. After his win, the 37-year-old
Superstar should spend the fall dominating his foes before an old enemy walks
back into his life in the form of The Beast.

Lesnar and McIntyre feuded for months leading into WrestleMania
36, but the pandemic interrupted the build, and the victory over the multi-time
world champion was overshadowed by the serious issues impacting the world.

With the tables turned and McIntyre champion, a returning
Lesnar should look to reclaim his world title while avenging the previous loss.
The battle at Day 1 would be an instant classic and cement the Scottish
Superstar as a top draw with a win.

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