As p***ed off as WWE were over Lesnar quitting the company to try out for the NFL in March 2004, they still recognised Lesnar's potential as a drawing card and were eager to sign him back, when Lesnar was ready to do business. Brock decided that time was June 2005, generating much excitement amongst wrestling fans. When asked about a potential return, Lesnar was quoted in the Bismark Tribute as saying:
I'm ready for it now. With the lawsuit and everything going on, I just hope we can resolve this thing, and Vince can open his doors to me and just give me a second chance. I have no idea (where it stands). I guess it stands on the end of your pencil, when it gets out on the internet. That's probably where he'll catch the news. It's either that or me calling him. But I don't know what else I'd be. What else is there for me?
Vince and Lesnar entered negotiations in July and things looked positive. WWE.com even ran with the story, posting a picture of Brock at WWE Headquarters and quoting The Next Big Thing as saying he was looking forward to come back. WWE had sacked a number of performers earlier in the month in order to free up money for what would no doubt be another lucrative Lesnar contract. But Brock didn't sign with the company, despite all the speculation and news suggesting that it was pretty much a done deal. There were several rumours as to why a deal wasn't finalised, including WWE lowballing him with a small figure and Brock refusing to work house shows. It was also reported at the time that this was all an elaborate plan by Lesnar to get out of his no-compete clause, by demonstrating that he wasn't a threat to WWE since they wouldn't pay him what he thought he deserved. Whatever the case, Lesnar could be seen as being disrespectful for stringing WWE (and the fans) along like that.
