WWE legend Brock Lesnar announced his retirement on Tuesday, bringing an end to his 26-year professional wrestling career. The 49-year-old made the announcement during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, days after his defeat to Oba Femi in a Hell in a Cell match at SummerSlam.
Lesnar, a 10-time WWE champion and two-time Royal Rumble winner, stated that his loss to Femi at SummerSlam marked the final match of his career. "Saturday was a very emotional day for me," he said. "Saturday for Brock Lesnar, that’s it. That’s it for me in the squared circle and for everything else too."
Lesnar’s career timeline and key moments
Lesnar began his WWE career in 2002 after a successful college wrestling career, where he compiled a 106-5 record and earned two NJCAA All-American honors. He quickly rose to prominence, becoming one of the company’s biggest stars. His first retirement came in 2004, followed by a return in 2012. He retired briefly in 2020 before making another comeback in 2021.
His final match at SummerSlam was preceded by an emotional moment at WrestleMania 42 in April, where he left his boots and gloves in the ring after losing to Femi. Despite defeating Femi at Clash in Italy weeks later, Lesnar confirmed that his SummerSlam loss was his final match.
Reaction to retirement
Lesnar expressed gratitude to his fans, describing himself as "a farm kid from South Dakota with big dreams." He also praised Femi, raising the younger wrestler’s hand after their match and walking out of the ring visibly emotional. "I’m just grateful to be 49 years old and to have been able to do what I did in this lifetime," he added.
Femi, who defeated Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 and again at SummerSlam, was positioned as the future of WWE following the retirement announcement. Lesnar’s retirement leaves a significant void in the company’s heavyweight division.