Brock Lesnar returns to WWE on Monday, August 1

Brock Lesnar’s return was announced for SummerSlam (with some rumors he’d show up for last Tuesday’s SmackDown Live Draft premiere). WWE reinforced that notion with their statements on his testing positive in samples provided to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency around his UFC 200 fight against Mark Hunt:

Brock Lesnar has not performed for WWE since WrestleMania and is not scheduled to return until Sunday, Aug. 21.

But on the July 25 episode of Raw, they announced the Beast Incarnate’s comeback for twenty days before their next pay-per-view (PPV):

As we’ve already covered, there’s not expected to be any pushback from Lesnar’s now-controversial return to MMA from athletic commissions in States where he’ll work for WWE (Raw is in Atlanta next week, SummerSlam is in New York - and they’ve already said they’re not concerned with what he does in a scripted exhibition).

It is kind of interesting they’d bring him back ahead of time, and to appear somewhere his next opponent won’t be seeing as how Randy Orton is a SmackDown talent. Announcing in advance is likely a play for ratings - while it’s not the kind of media attention Brock or Vince McMahon would have preferred, Lesnar is still a topic of conversation.

It’s unlikely he’ll address his situation with USADA, but will he respond to Orton’s jab at that situation? Even if only with a wink, as the Viper did?

Tune in next Monday to find out, Cagesiders!