Big Update On Brock Lesnar’s WWE Smackdown Status

The road to SummerSlam just got a lot rockier.

WWE is no longer advertising Brock Lesnar for tonight's "Smackdown" from Boston, MA, despite listing the former-WWE Champion earlier today, and even featuring Lesnar in a promotional email for the show which arrived in inboxes around 5:30 PM ET.

The change comes after Brock Lesnar reportedly walked out of tonight's "Smackdown", shortly after it was announced that WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon was retiring from all duties, corporate and creative. Lesnar was reportedly heard saying "If he's gone, I'm gone," in regards to McMahon.

Lesnar is scheduled to face Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WWE Summerslam on July 30th in Nashville, TN. While there is reportedly a replacement in place for Lesnar, WWE officials are trying to bring the star back into the fold before the big event next weekend.

Sources say that the backstage atmosphere in Boston is chaotic in the wake of McMahon's announcement. McMahon retired amidst an investigation into hush money payments made by McMahon to former employees who alleged misconduct, harassment, and abuse at the hands of McMahon. Allegations were also leveled against now-former-Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis.

Lesnar's role in the SummerSlam main event was already an audible, as indications pointed to Cody Rhodes challenging Reigns before Rhodes was put on the shelf by a torn pectoral muscle.

Lesnar returned to WWE programming on "SmackDown" last month, making his surprise appearance right after Reigns had successfully defended his title against Riddle. The clash between Lesnar and Reigns was being advertised as the "last match ever" between the two men and was to be contested under Last Man Standing Rules.

Currently advertised for "WWE SmackDown" are Liv Morgan, Ronda Rousey, Ludvig Kaiser, Shinsuke Nakamura, and the debut of Maxxine Dupri alongside the Maximum Male Models beachwear line.