In his return to WWE three weeks after his first mixed martial arts appearance in nearly five years, Brock Lesnar will not be subject to any punishment or discipline from the sports entertainment company despite failing not one but two U.S. Anti-Doping Agency drug tests stemming from his participation in UFC 200.
"WWE's talent wellness program does not apply to part-time performers such as Brock Lesnar," a WWE spokesman told CBS Sports on Tuesday. "WWE is show business. The policy is not intended to keep the integrity of an athletic competition. It is intended to keep our full-time performers healthy."
Indeed, Lesnar has not been a full-time WWE performer for more than a decade. Per WWE, he has only wrestled 19 times in the last three years, making four in-ring appearances in 2014, eight in 2015 and seven in 2016 (his eighth will come next month against Randy Orton at SummerSlam).
An average full-time WWE superstar will participate in more than 200 matches per year on pay-per-views, television, network programming and touring across the country.
TMZ first reported Lesnar's status with WWE earlier Tuesday.
WWE's wellness policy does include a ban against performance-enhancing drugs. A first violation of the policy, for anything except alcohol or marijuana, is a 30-day suspension with a 60-day suspension (second violation) and termination (third violation) part of the disciplinary process.
According to multiple reports, Lesnar's positive USADA result was triggered by the test recognizing estrogen agent hydroxy-clomiphene. Positive results were found for Lesnar on tests taken on June 28 and July 9, the day of UFC 200. Lesnar's only response to the positive tests is a simple eight-word statement shared with the Associated Press: "We will get to the bottom of this."
Lesnar is set to face a Randy Orton on Sunday, Aug. 21 at SummerSlam, WWEs second-biggest pay-per-view event each year. He will return to WWE television at Monday Night Raw next week, his first appearance with the company since WrestleMania 32.
