Why Brock Lesnar was pulled from Royal Rumble as WWE forced into late change

Brock Lesnar was pulled from the Royal Rumble match despite initially being scheduled for the event at Tropicana Field.

Lesnar has not appeared on WWE since losing to Cody Rhodes at Summerslam in August and was expected to make a huge return in the men's Royal Rumble match in Saint Petersburg, Florida, on Saturday night.

The Beast Incarnate has plenty of history in the 30-person battle royale match and according to Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer, he was pencilled in to make an appearance.

However, he claims that Lesnar was ultimately removed in response to the lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant against Vince McMahon.

It's alleged that McMahon sexually trafficked Grant to WWE employees and tried to set up a sexual encounter between her and a WWE superstar who was a heavyweight champion in UFC.

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Wall Street Journal identified Lesnar as the wrestler in question. Lesnar was also not mentioned on commentary or in a video looking at past Royal Rumble wins.

The 46-year-old was replaced by rising star Bron Breakker at short notice.

Meltzer said: "I think most people know this but Brock Lesnar was scheduled to return at the Rumble and this was a change, obviously, that was made because of the lawsuit.

"So, the change was made probably Friday, most likely, perhaps Saturday morning.

Bron Breakker, because of that, and the fact that the match was pretty much scripted out already, Bron Breakker essentially fulfilled the Brock Lesnar role.

"He came in when Brock Lesnar was going to come in, he threw out the guys Brock Lesnar was going to throw out, he got thrown out exactly how Brock Lesnar was going to get thrown out."

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Breakker came in at No.20 and eliminated four wrestlers in five minutes before being thrown out himself.

Rhodes made history by winning the match for the second year on the trot and has challenged WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns for another WrestleMania main event.