As first reported by PWInsider, then F4WOnline, Brock Lesnar is not expected to be at tonight’s WWE Royal Rumble.
Per both reports, Lesnar has not traveled to the St. Petersburg/Tampa Florida area for tonight’s show. According to one source, Lesnar was withdrawn from tonight’s Royal Rumble match itself for an unnamed NXT wrestler scheduled to take his spot instead.
This news comes despite Lesnar reportedly still being in WWE’s plans for WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia this April.
All this regarding Lesnar is all due the lawsuit lawsuit filed this past Thursday against Vince McMahon, in which former HQ employee Janel Grant alleged McMahon sexually assaulted, abused, degraded and trafficked her during her over a three year period of time at WWE.
In the lawsuit by Grant, Lesnar is mentioned not in name, but described only as a “world-famous athlete and former UFC Heavyweight Champion” that Vince McMahon was working on trying to re-sign to WWE. The lawsuit further states McMahon shared sexually explicit photos and videos with the unnamed wrestler and told Grant that “he likes what he sees,” with McMahon allegedly texting Grant to let her know “that part of the deal was f—ing U.” In addition the suit states, McMahon gave Grant’s personal cell number to the unnamed wrestler, who asked her to send a video of herself urinating. After she did, he called her a “b—-.” The suit further states that the “Superstar” or unnamed wrestler expressed a desire to “set a play date,” but a snowstorm disrupted his travel plans.”
On Friday night, McMahon resigned from TKO, WWE and has also denied the allegations in the lawsuit.
As of this writing, Lesnar has yet to make a statement publicly on the matter.