Brock Lesnar, a multi-time World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) champion and combat sports icon, announced his retirement from professional wrestling following his defeat to Nigerian wrestler Oba Femi at the SummerSlam event on August 1.
The 49-year-old Lesnar, who also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), confirmed his retirement during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on August 4. He stated that his match against Femi at SummerSlam would be the final contest of his career.
Lesnar recounted that after losing to Femi at WrestleMania 42 in April, he felt he was done as a wrestler, having removed his gloves and boots in the ring. However, he returned to defeat the 28-year-old at Clash in Italy in May before ultimately losing to him in a Hell in a Cell match at SummerSlam. After the match, Lesnar raised Oba Femi’s hand in a gesture of respect, calling him “the future of WWE” and referring to himself as “the past.”
“I am here today to let the world know that I am retired,” Lesnar said on the show, as quoted by ESPN. He added: “Saturday was a very emotional day for me. It was kind of weird. When Oba Femi slammed me at WrestleMania, I said, ‘I cannot do this anymore. I think I am done.’ But the business called, and I still had some fuel in the tank.”
He concluded, “Saturday, for Brock Lesnar, that is it. That is it for me in the squared circle and everything else.”
Lesnar’s retirement brings to a close one of the most distinguished careers in combat sports. A two-time All-American and two-time Big Ten wrestling champion, he won the NCAA Division I national championship in 2000 representing the University of Minnesota before signing with WWE.
Known for his physicality, athleticism, and signature F5 finishing move, Lesnar secured his first of ten WWE Championship titles by defeating Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in 2002. His accolades also include victories in the Royal Rumble (2003, 2022), King of the Ring tournament (2002), and the Money in the Bank ladder match (2019), which granted him a world championship match contract at any time.
In 2004, Lesnar briefly left WWE to pursue a career in the National Football League (NFL), appearing in preseason games for the Minnesota Vikings before his release. He then transitioned to mixed martial arts in 2007, winning the UFC Heavyweight title in 2008 against Randy Couture.
Lesnar retired from MMA in 2011, returned to WWE in 2012, and engaged in notable matches against wrestlers including John Cena, Triple H, CM Punk, Roman Reigns, The Undertaker, and others. A career-defining moment occurred at WrestleMania 30 in 2014 when he ended The Undertaker’s 21-0 undefeated streak.
Though he retired from MMA in 2015, he fought one final bout in 2016. His final WWE run spanned from 2021 to 2026, during which he was known for his use of German suplexes, popularising the term “Suplex City.”
Reflecting on his journey, Lesnar said, “I was just a farm kid from South Dakota with a big dream, a big heart and a big-ass chip on my shoulder. I am just grateful to be 49 years old and have been able to do what I did in this lifetime. I thank God and everybody that supported me.”
He also addressed young fans: “I want to say to the little kids, I was a little farm kid with a bunch of lint in my pocket. I had big dreams, and I just worked. I think a lot of people with social media platforms see athletes doing things and they leave out the hard work. If kids just stay focused on work and putting time in, good things will happen.”