WWE legend Brock Lesnar, 49, has announced his retirement from professional wrestling, concluding a career that spanned 26 years. The announcement came on Tuesday during an appearance on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show, following his defeat to Oba Femi at SummerSlam in Minneapolis.
Lesnar, a 10-time WWE champion, stated that his loss at SummerSlam marked the definitive end of his in-ring career. "Saturday for Brock Lesnar, that's it. That's it for me in the squared circle and for everything else too," he told McAfee and co-host AJ Hawk. He expressed gratitude to his fans, saying, "I just wanted to give a shout-out to everybody in this universe that has followed me since I was a little kid, all the way till Saturday."
Lesnar's journey in WWE began in 2002 after a successful college wrestling career, where he achieved a record of 106-5 over four years and was a two-time NJCAA All-American. He quickly rose to become one of the organization's biggest stars.
Career Chronology and Returns
His initial run with WWE concluded in 2004, with Lesnar citing burnout, injuries, and creative dissatisfaction. He later pursued a career in professional football, participating in the NFL Scouting Combine and signing with the Minnesota Vikings as a defensive tackle in July 2004, though his time with the team was brief. Following this, he transitioned to mixed martial arts, joining K-1 in 2006 and later signing with the UFC in 2008. He became the UFC Heavyweight Champion in November 2008 after defeating Randy Couture.
Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012, securing multiple championship titles before a seemingly final retirement at WrestleMania 36. However, he made another comeback in 2021 with a new look. His most recent departure from the WWE roster came in 2023 after being named in a sex trafficking lawsuit against former WWE co-founder Vince McMahon. He was removed from the roster and event plans, enduring a two-year absence before returning at SummerSlam in August 2025. Despite the ongoing lawsuit, he competed in a few matches before this final retirement.
