Brock Lesnar has officially confirmed that his in-ring career is over, putting an end to months of speculation after his apparent retirement at WrestleMania, which instead led to a summer-long feud with Oba Femi.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, the former WWE Champion revealed that his Hell in a Cell defeat to Femi at SummerSlam was, in fact, the final match of his storied career. It marked the first time Lesnar had publicly addressed his future since headlining Night 1 of the PLE.
"I am retired, and I wanted to say a big thank you to everybody," Lesnar said. "Saturday was a very emotional day for me. When Oba Femi slammed me at WrestleMania, I was like, 'I can’t do this again. I think I’m done.'"
Although many fans believed Lesnar had already retired after losing to Femi at WrestleMania 42, that wasn't really the end for The Beast. Following the April 19 clash at Allegiant Stadium, Lesnar left his gloves and boots in the ring and shared an emotional embrace with Paul Heyman, signalling what appeared to be a definitive farewell.
Instead, he surprised everyone by returning weeks later, blindsiding Femi on RAW before defeating him at Clash in Italy. That victory forced a decisive third encounter, with Femi ultimately ending the rivalry inside Hell in a Cell at SummerSlam and, as Lesnar has now confirmed, bringing his career to a close.
WWE has also made it clear that the company considers Lesnar's retirement official. Shortly after SummerSlam, his profile was moved to the alumni section of WWE's website, while the promotion released a tribute video celebrating his accomplishments. Roman Reigns later paid tribute on social media, thanking Lesnar for his contributions and describing him as one of the greatest performers professional wrestling has ever seen.
The emotional farewell continued on this week's episode of RAW, where Femi asked Paul Heyman to pass along his gratitude to Lesnar for their trilogy of matches and for the words they shared after the bell. Femi added that The Beast could now finally rest after everything they had put each other through.
Following Saturday's match, Lesnar returned to the ring after his loss, lifted Femi's arm in victory, and told the WWE Universe that Femi represented the future while he had become the past.
Lesnar's remarkable WWE journey began in 2000 before he departed in 2004 to pursue careers in both the NFL and UFC. He returned to WWE in 2012. His final match also served as his record-setting tenth SummerSlam main event, taking place in the state from which he is billed.
His résumé remains unmatched in combat sports history. Lesnar is still the only athlete to capture the NCAA Division I heavyweight championship, the UFC Heavyweight Championship, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and the WWE Championship, cementing his place as one of the most accomplished competitors ever to step inside a wrestling ring. A WWE Hall of Fame induction is surely next.