'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Brock Lesnar's return to WWE at Summerslam 2021 was a big surprise, but what caught fans off guard is the fact that he came back as a babyface. The last time Lesnar was a babyface in the company was 2015 when he returned to feud with then-WWE Champion Seth Rollins for the Battleground pay-per-view main event.
Even then, Brock Lesnar has long been a character who transcended the face-heel dynamic. Being a larger-than-life character, he and his rival The Undertaker are arguably the only two superstars in the last decade to completely transcend the idea of being a babyface or heel.
Even then, Lesnar is mostly known to be a top heel. He returned in 2015 a few months after his WWE title loss to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 31. When he came back, he was positioned as a babyface. When The Undertaker returned at Battleground 2015 to start their SummerSlam feud, it was The Deadman who was positioned as a heel - often using cheap tactics throughout their feud.
Brock Lesnar's last lengthy run as a babyface goes back to 2002-03, where he rose to WWE superstardom in no time. However, he turned heel in his feud with Kurt Angle later in 2003 and stayed that way until he left the company in 2004.
When Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012, his first few years saw him take the role of a menacing heel, especially when he ended The Undertaker's WrestleMania streak in 2014.
Brock Lesnar's last babyface run
Brock Lesnar's last babyface run in 2015 was somewhat short-lived. He faced Seth Rollins once and The Undertaker twice, losing to him controversially at SummerSlam before getting his win back in their final match at Hell in a Cell 2015.
In 2016, he seemed to transcend the traditional babyface-heel role. It will be interesting to see how Lesnar is handled as a babyface in 2021. He may be positioned that way for two reasons - firstly because Roman Reigns is WWE's top heel. And secondly, because Brock Lesnar returned to the company after nearly a year-and-a-half away.
For all we know, Lesnar could once again go to his 'tweener' role in 2022 if he still isn't feuding with Reigns. One thing is for sure, there are few superstars in WWE history who could remain a box office attraction the way The Beast Incarnate has.
