As noted before, WWE dropped their plans for Brock Lesnar to make his return at this past Saturday’s Royal Rumble 2024 event due to his involvement in the recent Vince McMahon sex trafficking lawsuit. NXT talent Bron Breakker was later revealed to have been the one who took over Lesnar’s originally planned spot and work for the Men’s Royal Rumble match.
The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported in Sunday’s Daily Update that his sources stated that WWE officials made several changes to their original plans for WrestleMania 40 in the days leading up to their Royal Rumble event due to the fallout of pulling Lesnar from the event. Meltzer reported that Lesnar’s removal led to a domino effect for WWE’s creative plans for him and several others leading up to WrestleMania 40.
Post Wrestling’s John Pollock reported that his sources stated that Dominik Mysterio eliminating Bron Breakker in Lesnar’s place was originally meant to be the start of feud between Mysterio and Lesnar leading to a match at next month’s Elimination Chamber 2024 event in Perth, Australia.
Meltzer reported that his sources confirmed that Mysterio vs. Lesnar was planned to take place at Elimination Chamber 2024 and Lesnar would then move over to a feud with Gunther for WrestleMania 40. Meltzer also reported that it is not confirmed if this match would have involved Gunther defending his Intercontinental Championship but that would have been expected.
Meltzer also reported that it is currently not known if WWE will be shifting their original plans for Lesnar over to Breakker for those two matches.