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SportsMoney Brock Lesnar Just Retired: Here’s Why It’s Unlikely To Stick By Alfred Konuwa ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about men in tights & the billions they make for men in suits. Follow Author Aug 04, 2026, 04:30pm EDT Aug 04, 2026, 04:59pm EDT --:-- / --:-- This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . Summary Brock Lesnar unexpectedly announced his retirement on the Pat McAfee Show, citing his recent Hell in a Cell loss to Oba Femi at SummerSlam as the catalyst. He stated, "I can't do this again, I think I'm done." This marks Lesnar's third WWE retirement, following a 2004 departure and another earlier this year after a WrestleMania 42 defeat to Femi. That prior "retirement" involved removing his gear and Paul Heyman confirming his exit, yet Lesnar returned weeks later. Given pro wrestling's history of temporary retirements and Lesnar's unpredictable nature, many remain skeptical this will be his final exit. At 49, Lesnar has a track record of returning to various sports, and his announcement on a show known for WWE storylines only adds to the speculation of a future comeback, despite him seemingly passing the torch to Femi.
Brock Lesnar announced his retirement from WWE on the Pat McAfee Show in the most Brock Lesnar way possible. There was no fanfare or storyline built up to the retirement, he simply appeared on a popular podcast in the middle of the day and called it a career on a webcam.
“I’m here today to do this interview to let the world and everybody know that I am retired,” said Brock. “Saturday was a very emotional day for me. When Oba Femi slammed me at WrestleMania I said ‘I can’t do this again, I think I’m done.’ But Saturday, for Brock Lesnar, that’s it. That’s it for me in the squared circle.”
Brock Lesnar just turned 49 last month, and his Hell in a Cell clash against Oba Femi very likely could be his final match. But this is the wrestling business, not to mention Brock Lesnar who has now retired twice from WWE. Once in 2004—in an ugly fashion that led to one of the most rejected WrestleMania matches in history against Bill Goldberg—and again earlier this year after his WrestleMania 42 loss to Oba Femi. Sure Brock Lesnar says he’s retired given his body’s wear-and-tear. I think Brock himself believes he’s retired. But time heals all wounds, especially in pro wrestling.
Brock Lesnar called it quits earlier this year following a loss to Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42. After the match, Lesnar removed his gloves and boots in a ceremonial in-ring retirement. The night after, on Raw After Mania, Paul Heyman confirmed that Lesnar was done, and should be moved to the WWE alumni section.
Just weeks later, Lesnar returned to reheat his feud with Oba Femi.
Lesnar would go on to wrestle his last two matches of his career against Oba, with Michael Cole openly suggesting that Lesnar’s SummerSlam loss could be the final match of Brock’s career. Last night on WWE Raw , WWE aired a similar retirement video package to the video they aired for Brock’s fake retirement back in April.
The combination of pro wrestling and Brock Lesnar’s mercurial and unpredictable nature point to a universe where Brock Lesnar is more likely to come out of retirement than not.
If Brock Lesnar is retired, he did so in fitting fashion. He passed the torch to Oba Femi, whom he publicly declared the future of WWE. Brock went out on his shield in his home state of Minnesota at SummerSlam, the event where he won his first WWE Championship 24 years ago. There’s no reason to believe that Brock Lesnar isn’t actually retired.
Other than who he is, and the business he competes in.
Brock Lesnar’s strange odyssey has taken him in and out of WWE, UFC and even the NFL. Brock is going to do what Brock wants to do, and as a part-time performer who took a near decade-long sabbatical from pro wrestling, his 49-year-old body does not have nearly the bump card of his peers like Randy Orton or even Kevin Owens, whose days are admittedly numbered.
Brock Lesnar is, and always will be, one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time. Unfortunately, retirements in pro wrestling are worth as much as a crypto scam. Few will believe that Brock Lesnar is actually done, especially with his announcement coming on a show where multiple WWE storylines have commenced.
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