Brock Lesnar did not appear at WrestleMania 37 or the night after on Raw despite speculation and hope from some fans, but that doesn't necessarily mean WWE doesn't have plans for him in 2021.

Although Lesnar isn't known to be under contract with the company, he has a penchant for showing up at unexpected times. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is seemingly always willing to do whatever it takes from a financial perspective to bring him back as well, so one can only assume The Beast Incarnate will make his presence felt again eventually.

If Lesnar does resurface in 2021, here are some of the most intriguing opponents WWE could place him in a program with.

Bobby Lashley

In terms of the potential dream matches available to WWE, it can be argued that none would exceed Lesnar vs. WWE champion Bobby Lashley.

The Beast and The All Mighty are similar in many ways, as they possess big, hulking physiques, have amateur wrestling backgrounds and enjoyed a great deal of success in the world of MMA.

Fans have called for this match for years because of those things, and while it has yet to happen, Lashley has finally been positioned in such a way that he would make perfect sense as an opponent for Lesnar.

Lashley is not only the WWE champion, but he also beat Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 37 by making him pass out in the Hurt Lock, which is no small feat given the Scot has been one of the top faces of the company for the past year.

WWE is essentially building the CEO of The Hurt Business into an unstoppable monster to the point that Lesnar may emerge as the only one capable of ending his reign.

Lashley is set to face McIntyre in a rematch at WrestleMania Backlash on May 16, and should he retain, having a returning Lesnar show up and confront him either that same night or the following Raw would be massive news in the wrestling world.

Lesnar vs. Lashley in the main event of SummerSlam—perhaps with fans in attendance—would likely be big business for WWE. If there is any way to make it happen, it is difficult to envision the company passing up the opportunity.

Drew McIntyre

Lesnar vs. Lashley is the match most fans seemingly want to see, but going back to the well with The Beast vs. McIntyre wouldn't be a bad option for WWE, either.

Leading up to WrestleMania 36, the two men engaged in a highly entertaining rivalry that was supposed to culminate with the Scot beating Lesnar for the WWE Championship in front of thousands of fans on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

McIntyre did beat The Beast for the title in the main event of WrestleMania 36, but there were no fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because of that, there is unfinished business between the pair, as that is a match that should take place inside a packed house.

It stands to reason that McIntyre could beat Lashley for the WWE title at WrestleMania Backlash, and if that is the case, Lesnar would be the ideal next opponent for The Scottish Warrior.

The Beast has not competed in a match since losing to McIntyre, so he would be out for revenge, while the Scot is still chasing his big moment after competing in an empty arena at WrestleMania 36 and losing to Lashley at this year's Show of Shows.

McIntyre vs. Lesnar is a match that has to happen again at some point, and it would make plenty of sense for The Beast to immediately go after the Scot when he returns.

Roman Reigns

Lesnar's greatest WWE rival in terms of Superstars currently on the roster is arguably universal champion Roman Reigns.

The two men faced each other at both WrestleMania 31 and 34, and they have locked horns on several other occasions as well.

It can be argued that Lesnar and Reigns don't need to wrestle each other again, but there is no question that another rivalry and match between them would feel far different from the ones that preceded it.

One reason for that is the fact that Reigns is a heel. Not only is he a heel, but he is also arguably the best and most dominant villain in all of wrestling, and he is doing the best work of his career in every aspect.

The Tribal Chief is the talk of the wrestling world, and it's fair to wonder if anyone can believably beat him any time soon after he defeated both Edge and Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 37.

Also, Reigns' special counsel is Paul Heyman, who served as Lesnar's advocate for the bulk of his career.

If and when The Beast returns, it is unclear how Heyman will factor in. Should WWE go with Reigns vs. Lesnar, putting Heyman in the middle of the conflict would be an ideal jumping-off point.

There are so many factors at work that would make Lesnar vs. Reigns better than it ever was before, and that alone makes it worthy of consideration.

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