Brock Lesnar appears to have stunningly retired from professional wrestling.
The former UFC and WWE champion left his gloves and boots off in the ring after losing to Oba Femi in the opening match of Night 2 of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Brock Lesnar retires from WWE at WrestleMania 42. Screengrab
Lesnar,48, got a hug from longtime manager and friend Paul Heyman and kissed the mat before exiting the ring to chants of “Thank you, Brock!” and Thank you, Lesnar!”
The match was a passing-of-the-torch moment for the former NCAA Division I heavyweight wrestling champion to Femi, WWE’s next larger-than-life phenom.
WWE left Lesnar’s future open, calling it “uncertain” on the post-show. Lesnar, one of the premier combat sports athletes of our time, is a 10-time world champion in WWE and ended the Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania 30.
He debuted in the company in 2002 as part of the legendary OVW class that included John Cena, Dave Bautista and Randy Orton.
While what Lesnar did usually signals retirement in pro wrestling, WWE has a way to potentially bring him back for one more match.
Brock Lesnar reacts after being defeated by Oba Femi during their match during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images
Gunther is still owed a storyline favor from Heyman, which could be a way to get Lesnar out of retirement at SummerSlam in Minneapolis, where he made his name as a college wrestler. The Ring General helped take care of Seth Rollins on Night 1 for Heyman.
Guthner has already retired Goldberg, A.J. Styles and Cena.
Lesnar returned to the company at last year’s SummerSlam following a two-year hiatus that saw him named in the civil sexual assault and sex trafficking lawsuit against former WWE boss Vince McMahon.
No charges were ever brought against Lesnar.