Cody Rhodes wants to go back to ’90s-style retirements.
The Undisputed WWE Champion recently appeared on the Unsportsmanlike podcast to promote the Clash In Italy PPV. He talked about things such as where the Clash series of PPVs rank among other PLEs, Ethan Page offending him recently, and more.
During the talk, the American Nightmare also gave his thoughts on Brock Lesnar coming out of ‘retirement’ for a rematch with Oba Femi this Sunday. Cody Rhodes first expressed hope that the Beast Incarnate will stick around till SummerSlam to retire in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The current champion then also claimed he wants wrestling to go back to the old ways, where people continue competing even after retirement:
“But I also, I want to get back to 90s style retirements anyways, where we just say we’re retired and then we’re not. Brock has kind of started that out. Terry Funk was retired for 20 years, I think. [Ric] Flair retired a bunch, [Randy] Savage kept retiring, so I’m good with if we’re not doing big absolute definitive retirements anymore. Just say I’m taking a break.”
Bryan Danielson is the one name that has chosen a path similar to the one Cody Rhodes is suggesting. The former World Champion announced the end of his full-time run with the 2024 WrestleDream PPV, giving fans a chance to celebrate his career without officially putting an end to it.
The WWE Champion will be defending his title against Gunther at the Clash In Italy PPV this weekend. The match has been announced for the first hour of the show, but it’s possible that WWE will be forced to move it to the main event. You can check out the reason for it here.
Brock Lesnar’s WWE run is not ending at Clash in Italy, with WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reporting that The Beast is expected to continue appearing for the company following the May 31 Premium Live Event in Turin.
Lesnar is not currently scheduled for WWE’s Madison Square Garden Saturday Night’s Main Event show, but he is heavily rumored for SummerSlam 2026, scheduled for August 1-2 in Minneapolis — his home state market.
Lesnar lost to Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42 in what appeared to be a retirement moment, with Lesnar leaving his gear in the ring and embracing Paul Heyman to signal the apparent end of his career.
He then made a surprise return on the May 18 episode of Raw, interrupting and attacking Femi before Heyman delivered a signed Clash in Italy contract to Adam Pearce. Lesnar faces Femi at Clash in Italy on May 31, looking for redemption.
Brock Lesnar has been advertised to make a rare public appearance.
A Canadian hardware store has advertised its appearance. According to social media posts from Emerald Park Home Hardware in Saskatchewan, the store is promoting an appearance scheduled for Thursday, May 28 from 4-6 p.m. as part of its 10th anniversary celebration.
The store’s Instagram account claims fans can get photos and autographs during the event.
“We are thrilled to be hosting the internationally recognized sports icon, Brock Lesnar, this Thursday, May 28th from 4pm – 6pm! Stop by for a pic and autograph,” Emerald Park Home Hardware wrote on Instagram.
The promotional post also mentions complimentary pulled pork and a raffle for a Pit Boss smoker. The store is located in Emerald Park, Saskatchewan, a community in the province’s southern region. WWE has not announced any upcoming events or appearances in the area on its official schedule.
The appearance takes place three days ahead of his scheduled rematch against Oba Femi at WWE Clash in Italy in Turin.
Brock Lesnar resurfaced on this week’s go-home edition of Raw, appearing in a pre-taped video promo to confirm he intends to go through with his Clash in Italy rematch against Oba Femi.
Paul Heyman set up the message from the ring at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, billing Sunday’s bout as the biggest rematch in WWE history. In the video, Lesnar admitted his WrestleMania 42 loss to Femi got under his skin.
“I’ve had my share of ass whoopings over the years, but none quite like that, it was humbling,” Lesnar said. “You beat my ass so bad I said ‘that’s it, I’m done.’ But that doesn’t sit very well with me, Oba. You’re gonna get your ass kicked by a humbled, retired beast. Brock Lesnar will conquer Oba Femi. I am gonna rule over Oba Femi.”
Femi answered immediately after the video, marching to the ring to get in Heyman’s face. The Ruler told the advocate he needed him alive and well to tell the story of what happens Sunday.
Femi said his approach has changed since WrestleMania. In Las Vegas, he was fighting to beat Lesnar. In Turin, he said, he is fighting to kill him. He then produced the rematch contract and had Heyman sign off on it.
Lesnar and Femi settle the rematch this Sunday, May 31 at Clash in Italy, WWE’s first Premium Live Event in the country, from the Inalpi Arena in Turin.
Gunther has revealed a list of five wrestlers he most wants to retire, with Sheamus topping the list for personal reasons and Brock Lesnar making the cut for publicity value.
Speaking on Main Event Club, Gunther was asked to blind rank his retirement targets. His list in order: Sheamus, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, and CM Punk.
He elaborated on his top two picks.
“The thing with Brock is for publicity and is perfect. Sheamus, it’s a personal matter. I want to retire him. Subjectively, they are all good choices. On the main roster, Sheamus was my first big opponent, and he beat me up a lot. He made me earn it. I hope I can kick his ass on the way out.”
Gunther has been dubbed “The Career Killer” after ending the careers of Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles. Sheamus is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury with no confirmed return timeline.
Gunther is set to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Clash in Italy on May 31 at Inalpi Arena in Turin.
Brock Lesnar recently made a shocking return to WWE programming on the May 18 edition of Raw, but he suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction.
The former WWE Champion had been away from television following his loss to Femi at WrestleMania 42. The post-match presentation, including an emotional crowd reaction and Paul Heyman standing alongside Lesnar, fueled speculation that his in-ring career was over.
Following his return on Raw, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ attacked Oba Femi in a brutal segment. During Femi’s scheduled open challenge, Lesnar rushed to the ring and assaulted ‘The Ruler’ and took him out with multiple F5s.
Wardrobe Malfunction Incident
During the attack, Lesnar’s pants ripped open mid-segment. Fans online were quick to point out that a similar incident happened to Lesnar during a September 2025 episode of SmackDown.
With Lesnar now back in the picture and targeting Femi once again, all signs point toward a rematch between the two. Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi II is expected to take place at WWE Clash in Italy on May 31.
Paul Heyman is finally on the record about Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania 42 farewell, and he is sticking to the same line he has held for weeks. He swears he had no idea his guy was about to walk away.
The Hall of Famer addressed the retirement directly in a new interview with TMZ Sports in New York City, telling cameras the moment in Las Vegas caught him completely off guard.
“If I knew he was gonna retire, would I have gone on record saying he was gonna dominate for the next 15 years?” Heyman said, getting another jab at TMZ founder Harvey Levin in for good measure.
“I was crying. Am I that good of an actor that I can cry on cue?? Not I.”
The 15-Year Comment Becomes Heyman’s Receipt
That 15-year line points back to Heyman’s pre-WrestleMania interview with TMZ, where he flatly rejected retirement chatter and predicted Lesnar still had over a decade of dominance left in him. The clip resurfaced the morning after Night 2, leading many fans to believe Heyman had been blindsided in real time.
Heyman publicly called out TMZ at the time for not making the timing clear, noting the footage was filmed in NYC weeks before the event. He is now using that same denial as proof he was not in on the spot.
The Vision Becomes Heyman’s Next Chapter
With Lesnar gone, Heyman immediately steered the conversation to his current WWE clients and laid out the lineup he believes will define the next era of the company.
“Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, Bronson Reed, Austin Theory. The Vision taking over WWE.”
Lesnar’s WrestleMania 42 Night 2 farewell came in four minutes and 42 seconds against Oba Femi. He sat in the middle of the ring, removed his gloves and boots, embraced Heyman, and walked up the ramp to “Thank you, Brock” chants. WWE has not officially announced a retirement.
For now, Heyman’s TMZ comments are the closest thing to a public confirmation that the moment everyone watched at Allegiant Stadium was real.
Ilja Dragunov is proud of his moment with Brock Lesnar.
The former US Champion got to share the ring with the Beast Incarnate briefly during the Royal Rumble match this year. Dragunov did his best to make a dent in Lesnar’s armour, but Brock no-sold all his offence, and the former World Champion ended up eliminating Ilja with little difficulty.
Que Brock Lesnar no vendiese la ofensiva de Ilja Dragunov fue triste
The Mad Dragon opened up about the notion that the former UFC star buried him during their exchange in a recent interview with Adrian Hernandez. Ilja Dragunov claimed that just getting the chance to share the ring with an influential talent like Lesnar was stunning:
“Guys, please. I was toe-to-toe in front of Brock Lesnar. How many people in this lifetime can do this? Brock Lesnar has been so influential and so significant for the entire history of this company. Having the chance to just have this moment that was perfectly expressing who I am, is just stunning.”
Ilja Dragunov explained that losing the fight to Lesnar did not diminish his character at all. According to the 32-year-old, it only strengthened his image as someone who faces his fears head-on, no matter the consequences:
“Of course you’re gonna lose fights in your life. But the person that Ilja Dragunov is, is I’m gonna step up, I’m gonna face my fear, I’m not gonna hold back. And if I need to suffer the punishment from that, I gladly will do so.
And some people will not understand that, and say, oh he got just ragdolled out of it, but I take it as a medal towards myself that I brought the best fight that I could bring to the absolute beast.”
The SmackDown star was taken out of the US title picture after the Brock Lesnar exchange and he also ended up missing WrestleMania. You can check out what Dragunov said about the Mania exclusion here.
Brock Lesnar’s emotional retirement at WrestleMania 42 may not be permanent. His WWE future could depend entirely on the outcome of the ongoing Janel Grant lawsuit involving Vince McMahon.
Billi Bhatti addressed the speculation during the Dirty Sheets Wrestling Informer podcast. He dismissed reports that Lesnar went into business for himself at WrestleMania by leaving his boots in the ring without WWE’s knowledge.
“As for the Brock Lesnar stuff, I’d love to lie and shed some light on the subject, but I can’t. What I do know is that Brock Lesnar didn’t decide to do the retirement in the ring and shock Triple H,” Bhatti said. “That was what’s being reported, that he just did it. He went into business for himself because he didn’t want to lose to Gunther. I don’t think that’s the case.”
Legal Situation Could Determine Return Timeline
Bhatti connected Lesnar’s status directly to the legal situation surrounding McMahon and Grant. He suggested WWE is waiting to see how the case develops before making final decisions about Lesnar’s career.
“If Brock Lesnar has genuinely retired, it is down partly down to the Janel Grant stuff and WWE being concerned about something else that’s going to come out,” Bhatti stated.
“The conclusion of that Janel Grant, Vince McMahon, Brock Lesnar stuff will all happen before SummerSlam,” Bhatti explained. “If it turns out that that is going to be settled out of court and it’s going to require an out of court settlement, then Vince McMahon will be back in the WWE in some capacity.”
“And Brock Lesnar then will probably also return to do a retirement match at SummerSlam,” Bhatti said.
However, if the legal proceedings go to trial and Lesnar faces heavy implication, his return timeline could extend significantly.
“But if he’s heavily implicated and this trial doesn’t go the way that many are expecting… then if it goes all the way, then I don’t think Brock will come back for SummerSlam. Maybe he’ll come back for next year’s WrestleMania,” Bhatti noted.
WWE Believes Lesnar Not Done Yet
Despite the uncertainty, Bhatti indicated that WWE internally believes Lesnar’s career is not finished.
“But the feeling in the WWE that he’s not done. So I don’t think this will be his retirement,” he said.
Lesnar’s loss to Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42 appeared to mark the end of his legendary WWE run. The emotional moment of leaving his boots in the ring suggested a final farewell to the company where he became one of the most dominant performers in history.
Matt Hardy believes fans haven’t seen the last of Brock Lesnar in WWE. The former WWE star who played a crucial role in Lesnar’s rookie year shared his prediction during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, suggesting The Beast will return to the ring despite his emotional retirement at WrestleMania 42.
“I don’t know, I think we’ll see him again. I think we’ll see him again,” Hardy said during his appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.
Lesnar lost to Oba Femi in a squash match at WrestleMania 42. After the contest, an emotional Lesnar removed his gloves and shoes in the ring before hugging Paul Heyman.
Michael Cole confirmed on RAW after WrestleMania 42 that The Beast had officially hung up his boots.
The Hardys Built Brock Lesnar
Before Brock Lesnar was the youngest WWE Champion in history, he was a 24-year-old rookie who needed someone established to beat. Matt and Jeff Hardy were that someone.
Lesnar’s first real program out of OVW was against the Hardy Boyz, and the way WWE booked it, with referee stoppages instead of pinfalls, was the foundation of the “Next Big Thing” presentation that carried him to the top of the company in under five months.
Backlash 2002 and the TKO Template
Lesnar’s first televised match came against Jeff Hardy at Backlash on April 21, 2002. The finish was not a pinfall. Referee Teddy Long called the match when Jeff could no longer respond, giving Lesnar a knockout-style win that immediately set him apart from every other heel on the roster.
The next night on Raw, April 22, 2002, Matt Hardy got the same treatment. Another referee stoppage, another protected loss, another visual of an established star unable to continue. Two consecutive nights of TKO finishes against half of the most popular tag team of the Attitude Era is how WWE communicated, without saying it, that Lesnar was different.
The Tag Program
The feud extended into tag team matches involving Paul Heyman. At Insurrextion on May 4, 2002, the Hardy Boyz got a measure of revenge over Lesnar and Shawn Stasiak, but Lesnar and Heyman bounced back to defeat the Hardys at Judgment Day on May 19. The series gave Lesnar a babyface tandem to chase, then beat, then move past on his way to the King of the Ring tournament.
The SmackDown Rematches
Even after Lesnar moved to SmackDown and won the WWE Undisputed Championship at SummerSlam 2002, Matt Hardy remained a useful name for him to run through.
Lesnar defeated Matt on the August 29, 2002 episode of SmackDown in a non-title squash that reinforced the gap between the new champion and the rest of the roster. The two would meet again on the January 2, 2003 episode of SmackDown and on April 10, 2003, with the same result each time.
Why It Mattered
Lesnar’s rocket push is usually told through the milestones: King of the Ring win, SummerSlam main event over The Rock, the youngest WWE Champion record.
The setup work, the Hardy Boyz program, gets less credit than it deserves. Matt and Jeff were already over with the live crowd, and being beaten via TKO by an unknown rookie meant something. WWE spent that equity deliberately, and Lesnar’s first 18 months as a main eventer were built on the back of it.
Brock Lesnar might have left his boots and gloves in the ring at WrestleMania 42, but former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen believes the right offer could bring him back to MMA.
Sonnen suggested on his YouTube channel that a lucrative Netflix deal could tempt Lesnar out of retirement.
Lesnar suffered a defeat at the hands of Oba Femi at WWE WrestleMania 42 in what appeared to be a retirement angle. While WWE has heavily implied Lesnar’s in-ring career is over, the former Universal Champion has not verbally confirmed his retirement.
Sonnen Pitches Lesnar vs. Ngannou
In his recent video, Sonnen drew a specific scenario that could bring ‘The Beast Incarnate’ back to combat sports. He believes a fight against Francis Ngannou on Netflix could be the draw.
“I’m here to tell you right now, there is a dollar amount. I don’t know that sum. $25 million would be very close. There is a dollar amount where Brock Lesnar will fight on Netflix against Francis Ngannou,” Sonnen said.
“He just has to be given the opportunity. When somebody says they’re retired, it just means, ‘I don’t have opportunities in front of me right now.’”
Sonnen further questioned whether Lesnar would want his legacy defined solely by professional wrestling.
“Does he want to be known as the guy that used to be a pro wrestler? Maybe. I’m curious, I’m asking the question,” Sonnen stated.
Brock Lesnar’s Combat Sports History
Brock Lesnar had a run with UFC in the past, following his departure from WWE in 2004. He quickly became one of the promotion’s biggest stars and captured the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
He retired from UFC in 2011 and returned to WWE the following year. Lesnar made a one-off UFC return in 2016 before focusing exclusively on his WWE career.
Brock Lesnar allegedly has major heat with WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H.
According to former WWE writer Vince Russo, the tension could explain Lesnar’s shocking WrestleMania 42 moment. On his YouTube channel, Russo didn’t hold back when discussing what he’s heard about the relationship between the two. He suggested Lesnar’s actions at WrestleMania 42, where he left his boots in the ring after losing to Oba Femi, may have been done without Triple H’s knowledge.
“I hear that Brock Lesnar just absolutely hates Triple H,” Russo said. “And I can see that Triple H has put himself in a position for people to hate him. He has put himself in the forefront of everything. He has put himself first in front of his own talent, and a lot of times in wrestling, that is a no-no.”
Russo Questions Lesnar’s WrestleMania Exit
Russo connected the alleged backstage tension to WWE’s recent creative direction. He argued that bad creative decisions are catching up with the company and may be causing frustration among top talent.
“And even to the point of what it looks like of Brock Lesnar saying, ‘Man, I need out of here.’ I mean, if the Brock Lesnar thing is a shoot and nobody knew about it, and he didn’t smarten up Triple H, that means he has zero respect for Triple H. Zero, none, bro,” Russo stated.
Power Shift in WWE Leadership
He compared the situation to how things would have been handled under Vince McMahon. Russo believes McMahon would never have tolerated a top star making such a move without approval.
“Can you imagine one of the talents pulling that on Vince McMahon, bro? That would have never happened,” Russo said. “You wouldn’t have even dreamed of doing something like that, bro. You would have been gone so fast, Vince would have blackballed you, man.”
Russo suggested that if Lesnar acted independently, it could signal a vulnerability in Triple H’s leadership position. He theorized that Lesnar may view this as an opportunity to force change within the company.
“But I guess in Brock Lesnar’s case, if it is indeed a shoot, Brock’s simply asking the question, what is Triple H going to do? And I would also think that Triple H would have to be at a point of vulnerability, him being very vulnerable at that point. And maybe Brock does something like that because he feels it’s the nail in the coffin,” Russo explained.
While WWE internally believes Lesnar’s WrestleMania 42 moment was a planned retirement angle, Russo’s claims introduce a different narrative. There has been speculation about a possible final match for Lesnar at SummerSlam, though nothing has been confirmed.
Brock Lesnar sparked retirement rumors when he left his boots in the ring at WrestleMania 42 after losing to Oba Femi. However, a fresh report indicates the moment was not his final goodbye and they are planning a huge turn.
According to WrestleVotes Radio, WWE believes Lesnar was genuinely saying goodbye at WrestleMania. However, the company remains hopeful he will return for one final match on August 1st and 2nd at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
There is a strong belief that the company is planning a babyface turn for ‘The Beast Incarnate’ before he wrestles one more time, with SummerSlam in Minneapolis emerging as the likely location for his farewell match.
Lesnar attended the University of Minnesota and has been billed from Minneapolis throughout his WWE career, but has only wrestled two televised matches in the state, with the last taking place in January 2004.
“There is a strong belief within WWE that Brock Lesnar was genuinely saying goodbye when he left his boots and gloves in the ring this past Sunday at WrestleMania,” WrestleVotes Radio reported.
“However, many also feel that before it’s all said and done, he will have one final match at this year’s SummerSlam.”
WWE Shifting Lesnar to Fan Favorite Role
WWE is actively positioning Lesnar as a babyface heading into the final stretch of his career. During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed the creative direction when asked directly about the company’s plans.
“Are they trying to turn Brock Lesnar into a baby face?” the question was posed. “Yes, obviously. Yes,” came the response.
The shift aligns with the strong crowd reaction Lesnar received at WrestleMania 42, where fans responded emotionally to his apparent retirement. WWE wants fans fully behind Lesnar for whatever comes next, with the babyface turn supporting the narrative of a final sendoff.
WWE Hall of Famer JBL believes Brock Lesnar is not finished with WWE, suggesting his WrestleMania 42 retirement moment could actually be the beginning of a major storyline.
Speaking on Something To Wrestle, he called Lesnar “brilliant” and suggested the retirement angle is part of ongoing negotiations rather than a definitive end to his WWE career.
“I watched him going, Oh my god, this guy is freaking amazing, absolutely amazing. Whether it’s a negotiation technique, whether it’s part of the storyline, whether he actually is retired, whatever it is, his performance was freaking once in a lifetime. That was legendary. What he did. I thought it was just absolutely amazing.”
The former WWE Champion expressed confidence that Lesnar remains in discussions with WWE. The retirement moment at WrestleMania 42 appears to be part of a larger narrative rather than the conclusion of Lesnar’s run with the promotion.
JBL’s Take on Lesnar’s Future
JBL praised Brock Lesnar as one of the smartest and most effective negotiators he has ever seen, recalling how Lesnar strategically improved his leverage during past contract talks. He pointed to a moment when Lesnar showed up backstage at a Dana White event in Las Vegas, which “all of a sudden… got a little bit better” for him in WWE negotiations.
“Brock was the best negotiator, I think I’ve ever seen. I mean, Brock is a really smart human being. And I remember he was negotiating to come back. He flew out to Vegas, I think it was and just went backstage, just to see Dana White backstage. Just happened to be out in Vegas, where he flew on a private jet to go and go backstage.”
Unreal Negotiator
He emphasized that both Lesnar and Vince McMahon needed each other but were constantly “vying” for the best deal, calling Lesnar “an unreal negotiator.”
“All of a sudden, his negotiation got a little bit better with WWE. Brock’s a great negotiator. I mean, that’s what you do, you know, and him and Vince are on different sides of this. You know, Vince wanted Brock. Brock wanted Vince. They needed each other, but they’re both vying for they’re both negotiating with each other. Brock is an unreal negotiator.”
Lesnar has a history of sporadic WWE appearances and contract negotiations that have shaped his career trajectory. The former Universal Champion has worked under unique deals that allow him to maintain flexibility while remaining one of WWE’s biggest attractions.
Brock Lesnar’s retirement from WWE may not be as final as it appeared at WrestleMania 42. A new report from Wrestlevotes Radio suggests ‘The Beast Incarnate’ could return for one more match at SummerSlam 2026 in Minneapolis.
Lesnar left his gloves and boots in the ring after losing to Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42 Night 2, leading fans to believe he had retired. The symbolic gesture appeared to mark the end of his legendary career.
SummerSlam Return Speculation
As per to Wrestlevotes Radio via Fightful Select, there’s a strong belief within WWE that Lesnar genuinely retired at WrestleMania 42. However, some sources believe he could return for SummerSlam 2026 because of his Minnesota roots.
At least one WWE contact expressed hope that ‘The Beast’ would appear on the SummerSlam card, though nothing has been confirmed. Minneapolis holds special significance for the former WWE Champion, who was born and raised in the state.
Earlier Retirement Plans
Previous reports had indicated Lesnar’s retirement could take place at SummerSlam 2026 rather than WrestleMania. Fans speculated Gunther might be the one to end his career, with WWE planting seeds when the Ring General told Paul Heyman he owed him more than a “thank you” for facing Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 42.
Jim Ross doesn’t believe Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania 42 moment was the end. The WWE Hall of Famer made it clear that the company likely hasn’t seen the last of The Beast.
While speaking on Grilling JR, Ross was asked about Lesnar’s legacy and whether the boots-in-the-ring moment at WrestleMania 42 signaled a real retirement. The conversation quickly turned into a strong defense of Lesnar’s long-term value and the idea that major matches still remain on the table.
Ross first reflected on how confident he was in Lesnar from the moment he signed him. He explained that he immediately saw something different compared to other rookies.
“I knew he was that special, Conrad. My God, I mean, just look at him. And he carried himself like a champion. He’s a big brute. He’s intimidating looking. I paid him more money than I ever paid any rookie. So he was that special,” Ross said.
Lesnar’s Future in WWE
Despite the emotional boots-in-the-ring moment at WrestleMania 42, Ross made it clear he does not believe Lesnar is fully finished with WWE appearances. Ross addressed the idea that Lesnar’s time might only be changing rather than ending completely.
“Have we seen the last of Brock Lesnar? Hell no, no way. Have we seen the last of Brock Lesnar as a semi-reoccurring character on TV? I think so. But I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him,” Ross said.
Ross suggested Lesnar could return for WrestleMania or other major events. He even pitched a potential rematch with Oba Femi, noting that their previous encounter doesn’t rule out a future showdown.
“For WrestleMania next year or major events, they’ve got somebody. I think if you project that Brock Lesnar returned to fight Oba Femi, let’s say. I know they fought already. That means nothing to me. If you’re good at what you do for a living, you should be able to do it more often than once and kick ass. And I’m sure those two guys could do that,” Ross said.
Dream Match With Gunther
The conversation then shifted toward one of the biggest dream matches WWE has yet to deliver: Brock Lesnar versus Gunther. The matchup has been rumored for years, and Ross made it clear he believes WWE should save it for the biggest possible stage.
“That’s a match that has to be booked somewhere. I don’t see that before WrestleMania. That’s a WrestleMania match, not SummerSlam, not Royal Rumble. It’s a WrestleMania match,” Ross said.
Ross emphasized that the foundation for the match is already in place. He compared it to building a castle where only the finishing touches remain.
“It’s already half-assed built. It’s like building a castle. You’re now just putting the finishing touches on it because the foundation is laid. That would be a great match. One of your tent poles for next year’s WrestleMania. And it would sell like a sumbitch, especially in Minneapolis, where Lesnar calls home,” Ross said.
Lesnar leaving his boots in the ring at WrestleMania 42 created plenty of speculation about whether his career had reached its end. Moments like that have historically signaled retirement in WWE, but Ross’ comments suggest the company could still be holding onto Lesnar for select major events rather than weekly appearances.
If Ross is right, fans may not have to wait forever to see Lesnar back in action, especially if WWE decides to finally deliver the long-discussed showdown with Gunther on the grandest stage.
Tiffany Stratton reacts to Brock Lesnar’s retirement.
The general belief before WrestleMania 42 was that the Beast Incarnate would retire at the SummerSlam PPV, which would be taking place from his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota this year. This is why fans were left surprised when the former UFC Champion left his boots in the ring after his loss to Oba Femi at the Show of Shows this past weekend.
The former Women’s Champion who hails from Minnesota as well, was asked how she was feeling about Brock Lesnar’s retirement during a recent interview with Adrian Hernandez. Tiffany Stratton mentioned how the former World Champion got very emotional at the event and claimed that she almost shed a tear herself:
“I don’t know. When I saw Brock unlace his boots, I almost sheded a tear. I was sad for him. He looked like he started crying a little bit too, and I was just… he’s just a boy. It’s his first time living too.”
Though Stratton later expressed the hope that we have not seen the last of Lesnar just yet and he will return to the ring one more time for a proper farewell:
“So hopefully it’s not his last match. Hopefully in SummerSlam in Minnesota, we’ll get to see him. I think that would be iconic—retiring in your hometown. But yeah, I’m really sad, but [also] happy for him.”
Paul Heyman assured Gunther on this week’s Raw that he owes one to the Ring General for taking care of Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. So there’s a way for Gunther to get a match with Lesnar still.
Reports suggest that the former Imperium leader will be entering a title feud with a different top star before that. You can check out more about it here.
Brock Lesnar appeared to retire from professional wrestling at WrestleMania 42, leaving his MMA gloves and boots in the ring following his loss to Oba Femi before embracing Paul Heyman and waving to the crowd as they chanted his name. The moment had all the hallmarks of a farewell, but new reports suggest the situation may be more complicated than it appeared.
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE believes Lesnar has not actually retired, despite what unfolded in Las Vegas. Meltzer noted that multiple people inside the company share the view that Lesnar is not done yet, while acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the situation. Internally, the feeling is that retirement is likely coming at some point this year, with no confirmed timeline beyond that.
Bodyslam reported that only a small number of people knew Lesnar would be removing his gear and leaving it in the ring at WrestleMania, while many inside WWE assumed a formal retirement would come later this year at SummerSlam in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The surprise nature of the gesture caught a significant portion of the company off guard.
On the Raw after WrestleMania, WWE aired a video package celebrating Lesnar’s career. Heyman, in an emotional segment, praised his long-time friend and advocated for Lesnar to be placed in the permanent section of WWE’s Then. Now. Forever. opening, arguing that Lesnar would forever be the most dangerous man to step inside a WWE ring.
Meltzer also reported that the program between Lesnar and Femi was originally conceived as a multi-match feud before the creative direction shifted in the weeks leading up to WrestleMania, ultimately becoming a one-and-done affair with Femi defeating Lesnar in four minutes on Night Two.
The WWE Special Counsel took to X on Monday to publicly correct TMZ Sports over a clip that has been ricocheting around the wrestling internet since Monday morning.
The video shows Heyman flatly denying that Brock Lesnar is retired and predicting another 15 years of dominance, and it dropped the day after Lesnar left his gloves and boots in the ring at WrestleMania 42 Night 2.
The catch: the interview took place before WrestleMania, when Lesnar seemingly said farewell to WWE in emotional fashion. The video’s description made note that the interview was from “this week” but the ambiguity caused confusion.
I want to congratulate @TMZ for the magnificent exclusive news regarding my comments on @BrockLesnar's retirement.
Unfortunately, what's left out of their globally trending exclusive report is that the video was shot in NYC after my @fox5ny appearance two weeks ago…
“I want to congratulate @TMZ for the magnificent exclusive news regarding my comments on @BrockLesnar’s retirement. Unfortunately, what’s left out of their globally trending exclusive report is that the video was shot in NYC after my @fox5ny appearance two weeks ago…
Context is EVERYTHING!
P.S. @HarveyLevinTMZ, I still love you and all other members of the Mark Itkin crew.”
Why It Matters
The TMZ Sports clip went up Monday morning with a description noting it was filmed “earlier this week in NYC.” It quickly hit Fightful, Ringside News, SPORTbible, and dozens of aggregators who framed Heyman’s “15 more years” line as a direct response to Sunday’s events.
Heyman’s clarification reframes the whole story. The interview was conducted before Lesnar’s loss to Oba Femi. It is not a denial of what happened at Allegiant Stadium, and it is not Heyman staying in character about something that had already played out on camera. It is a two-week-old soundbite that picked up jet fuel because the timing fit a narrative.
What Actually Happened Sunday
Lesnar lost to Oba Femi in the opener of Night 2 in four minutes and 42 seconds. He sat in the middle of the ring, removed his gloves and boots, embraced Heyman, and walked up the ramp to “Thank you, Brock” chants. Triple H later told ESPN’s SportsCenter the moment “certainly seemed that way” and confirmed there was no backstage conversation with Lesnar after the match.
WWE has not officially announced a retirement.
For now, the only fresh on-record comment from Heyman about Lesnar’s WrestleMania 42 finale is the X post above, which is itself less of a comment about Lesnar’s future and more of a complaint about how a two-week-old interview was packaged.
What do you make of Heyman’s pushback? Drop your take in the comments.
The Beast Incarnate was involved in a short but physical encounter with Oba Femi in the opening match of WrestleMania 42 Night 2. The Ruler was the one who picked up the victory in the end. After his defeat, the former UFC star left his gloves and boots in the ring, and he was visibly emotional as he made his way to the back after sharing a moment with Paul Heyman.
Brock Lesnar leaves his gear in the ring. What's next for The Beast?
Triple H, who skipped the WrestleMania post-show in favor of an appearance on ESPN SportsCenter, was asked if we have seen the last of Brock Lesnar. The WWE Executive suggested that he doesn’t know the answer either, as he did not get a chance to speak with the former World Champion after his loss:
“It certainly seemed that way. Brock is not a walk back through the curtain and have a long conversation guy. Brock is a walk back through the curtain, very angry, and go to his bus and that is the end of it. So there was not a discussion had after.”
The Game then mentioned that the intelligence of Brock Lesnar is an underrated trait, as people gravitate more towards his destructive power. Triple H explained that the 48-year-old leaving his boots might be his acceptance of the changing of the guard, after meeting a force that cannot be stopped:
“There comes a point in time when somebody comes along that’s bigger and badder and just pushes you to a place that you can’t come back from. The smart ones know when that happens and they call it a day. I don’t think that was a planned thing. I think Brock went to the ring. He walked into a wall called Oba Femi. Brock walked up to the next big thing and ran into a brick wall, and the intelligence in him said, ‘maybe I should call it a day.’”
WWE has been careful not to promote Brock’s actions as a definite retirement, and some fans have tried to connect the dots between Paul Heyman owing a favor to Gunther and rumors of Lesnar having his retirement match at SummerSlam this year from his hometown.
Do you think we will see Brock Lesnar inside a WWE ring again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Angle posted on X on Sunday, writing: “Love you my brother. There will only be one like you. Enjoy retirement Brock.” The post included a throwback photo of the two together at WrestleMania XIX, where Lesnar defeated Angle for the WWE Championship in 2003.
The gesture is long associated with in-ring retirement.
Lesnar Leaves Gear in the Ring
The emotional scene played out in front of a packed Allegiant Stadium crowd. Lesnar’s longtime advocate Paul Heyman was also on hand for what appeared to be a farewell moment. WWE has not officially confirmed a retirement.
Angle and Lesnar share one of the more storied rivalries in WWE history, dating back to 2002. The two faced off multiple times at the highest level, including their WrestleMania XIX main event in Seattle, which Lesnar won to capture the WWE Championship.
Lesnar, 48, had hinted at a limited future with the company ahead of WrestleMania 42. Speaking on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, he said he was “grateful” to be back “for a short time” with WWE.
Several other WWE names are expected to react publicly in the coming hours. Angle’s post, with over 131,000 views within hours of going live, captures the sentiment felt across the wrestling world as The Beast’s career appears to have come to a close.
Brock Lesnar’s WWE career ended in the middle of the ring at Allegiant Stadium. The Beast retired Sunday night at WrestleMania 42 following a loss to Oba Femi, removing his gloves and boots and leaving them in the ring in the most understood visual in professional wrestling.
Femi, in his WrestleMania debut, pinned Lesnar in 4:45 to open Night 2. Lesnar caught Femi with an F5, but as he rose to celebrate, Femi beat him to his feet, hit a massive chokeslam, and followed with Fall From Grace for the three count.
Michael Cole’s call on commentary — “The fall from grace from Oba Femi to the Beast, Brock Lesnar” — landed with weight that the crowd inside the building already understood.
The Boots and Gloves in the Ring
Brock Lesnar leaves his gear in the ring. What's next for The Beast?
Lesnar stayed in the ring after the bell. “Thank you Brock” chants rolled through Allegiant Stadium as he removed his gloves and boots and set them in the center of the ring. He raised his hands. He shared an emotional, long hug with Paul Heyman, his longtime advocate and the man who just moments earlier had done his final WrestleMania ring introductions. Lesnar gestured to the fans, waved, and slowly walked up the ramp, stopping to shake hands with fans along the way.
This is the end of one of the most consequential runs in modern wrestling history. Lesnar debuted in WWE in 2002 and won the WWE Championship at SummerSlam that year at age 25 — the youngest champion in company history at the time. He left for the NFL, returned in 2012, and spent the next decade as WWE’s ultimate part-time attraction.
He ended The Undertaker’s undefeated WrestleMania streak at WrestleMania XXX. He is a former Universal Champion, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, UFC Heavyweight Champion, and 2014 Royal Rumble winner.
His WrestleMania ledger closes at 6-7 across 13 matches. His final televised appearance before Sunday came at WrestleMania 39, a win over Omos. He returned to WWE at SummerSlam 2025 by attacking John Cena after Cena dropped the Undisputed WWE Championship back to Cody Rhodes. He was 48 at WrestleMania 42.
The Passing of the Torch
Lesnar put Femi over clean at the biggest show of the year in under five minutes. That choice is the story. Femi entered the match as WWE’s hottest rising act, undefeated in singles action since his main roster debut in December and coming off a dominant 273-day reign as NXT North American Champion.
He delivered his signature promo at the contract signing the week before the event — “I am the one. I have always been the one.” Lesnar handed him the torch in the biggest possible spot and left the boots behind to make it official.
What Comes Next
Lesnar’s retirement closes a chapter that touched every WWE era from the Ruthless Aggression years through the modern TKO era. For Femi, the runway is now clear. For Heyman, the client list just got shorter. For WWE, the weekend’s biggest emotional moment came in the opener, not the main event.
Brock Lesnar signed his WrestleMania 42 contract on Monday’s Raw, officially making his match against Oba Femi a done deal.
The Beast Incarnate put pen to paper during the opening segment of the go-home Raw from Sacramento, one week after their initial contract signing descended into chaos. That April 6 segment saw the two behemoths brawl before either man could sign, with the fight continuing after Raw went off the air.
With the paperwork finally complete, Lesnar and Femi will collide at WrestleMania 42 this weekend. The match is scheduled to open Night 2 on Sunday, April 19, airing on ESPN before the Netflix simulcast.
Oba Femi answered Lesnar’s open challenge last month, and has had the upper hand in nearly every physical confrontation since. The former NXT Champion will look to make a statement against the 16-time world champion on the biggest stage in wrestling.
WrestleMania 42 takes place April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The choice to stage WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium marked an ambitious moment for WWE. Though the company wasn’t exactly on fire, the company brand and the brand of their flagship PLE was significant enough that drawing a live crowd of 100,000-plus didn’t seem entirely unrealistic.
With such a large stage, top stars like Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins coming into their own as singles stars and icons like The Rock, Brock Lesnar, and Triple H in the mix, there was the potential for something magical to happen.
While WWE did draw arguably their largest single night attendance number (there’s some debate, but the consensus is WrestleMania 32 packed over 80,000 fans in the stadium), the show itself did not go down as one of the more successful iterations of the Showcase of the Immortals for a variety of reasons.
Roman Reigns Hadn’t Yet Clicked As The Top Guy
Credit: WWE
Roman Reigns challenging Triple H for the WWE Championship closed out WrestleMania 32. On paper, this match checks a lot of boxes with one of the biggest legends in the company squaring off against the top rising star with the world title on the line and months of storytelling behind them.
In practice, the Reigns vs. Helmsley angle never heated up. Reigns kayfabe injuring Triple H in late 2015 was strange creative that had the babyface acting pretty heelishly. From there, Triple H’s “surprise” return to win the 2016 Royal Rumble and, in so doing take the title off Reigns, was incredibly predictable. To his credit, The Game got in incredible shape and put on excellent matches with Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler on the Road to WrestleMania. Unfortunately, those stellar outings only underscored how blah his showdown with Reigns wound up being.
In the end, Reigns simply wouldn’t get over at a high level with a wide swathe of the WWE audience until his heel turn in 2020. WrestleMania 32 highlighted all his limitations from his promos leading up to the event, to his ring work during it, to his lukewarm connection with the fans.
Seth Rollins Was Injured
Seth Rollins. Photo: WWE
Seth Rollins was second only to Roman Reigns as the most heavily pushed rising stars in WWE in 2016. The prevailing wisdom was that he’d square off with Triple H at WrestleMania 32 if he’d been healthy—delivering a version of their WrestleMania 33 angle a year early. Some others have theorized Rollins vs. Reigns or a Shield Triple Threat may have been in the offing.
Regardless of how things would’ve played out with a healthy Rollins in the mix, there’s little question in-ring ability alone, combined with fans more readily buying into him than Reigns had the potential to singlehandedly elevate a WrestleMania that suffered from a lack of standout matches.
Brock Lesnar Didn’t Gel With Dean Ambrose
Credit: WWE
Brock Lesnar is a one of a kind professional wrestler whose combination of real-life credibility, in-ring style, and steady protection in being booked as a monster made him a draw and someone who all but guaranteed a memorable match in his every WrestleMania appearance.
The Beast and Dean Ambrose did not gel, though. From Ambrose’s own account, he had ambitious ideas, but Lesnar wasn’t interested in venturing out of his more traditional format for a match. So, whether Ambrose got too nutty with his ideas for a Street Fight or Lesnar was unmotivated, the one undeniable truth is that these two performers did not gel and the resulting match underwhelmed at every turn.
Shane McMahon’s Comeback Signaled What Was To Come
Credit: WWE
One of the most buzzworthy stories going into WrestleMania 32 was the return of Shane McMahon after going missing from the WWE landscape for nearly a decade. The choice to immediately plug him into a Hell in a Cell Match with The Undertaker certainly made for an attraction as well.
Unfortunately, the performances of both Shane-O-Mac and The Dead Man proved emblematic of where they were in their careers and where they were headed. For McMahon’s part, he’d not only lost a step but unveiled a style that came across as less the dare devil he’d been in his youth than desperate to deliver a contrived spot.
The idea of The Undertaker throwing the boss’s son off the top of Hell in a Cell was very much on the mind of fans given each man’s history. In practice, the tedious match peaked at Shane-O-Mac foolishly climbing to the top of the Cell to go for a nonsensical elbow drop, only to predictably miss. In kayfabe, McMahon came across as an idiot for the attempt; in reality, it seemed clear he was starving for attention with an eye-catching spot, even if it made no sense in the context of the match. Meanwhile, the cracks also showed for The Undertaker, who no longer had what it took to singlehandedly carry a match like this.
The Rock’s Involvement Was Underwhelming
Credit: WWE
WrestleManias 27 through 29 marked a trilogy of sorts with The Rock’s return to WWE and impact on the main event, followed by consecutive years of him main eventing the show himself against John Cena. From there, WrestleMania 30 saw him cut a sweetly nostalgic opening promo with fellow icons Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin, before he delivered an electric moment at WrestleMania 31, teaming up with Ronda Rousey to clear the ring of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.
So, even though The Rock didn’t have anything official on the docket for WrestleMania 32, there was reason for optimism he might do something cool if he showed up at AT&T Stadium. The People’s Champion did arrive, complete with an over-the-top flame thrower entrance that underwhelmed fans, followed by a generic promo.
Business looked like it would pick up when The Wyatt Family showed up to confront The Great One, but things quickly devolved into an impromptu, seconds-long squash match with The Rock pinning Erick Rowan, followed by a brawl. While the segment wasn’t the worst part of WrestleMania 32, it did signal babyface, part-time Rock had run his course.
Other Potential Big Draws Underwhelmed
Credit: WWE
There are other reasons why WrestleMania 32 had a lot of potential on paper but failed to deliver. John Cena made a surprise appearance which was perfectly fine—helping The Rock against The Wyatts—but paled in comparison to his previous WrestleMania roles. Shaquille O’Neal was a surprise entrant in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and had a confrontation with The Big Show, but between the booking and execution, what might have been a huge celebrity appearance fell flat and became utterly forgettable.
Zack Ryder’s last-minute addition and victory in the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match arguably stole the show, but also left fans scratching their heads because Ryder had not been in the title mix up to that point (not to mention that he promptly dropped the belt without fanfare). A League of Nations versus New Day showdown ultimately felt as though it was just there to set up a paint-by-numbers legends segment with Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, and Mick Foley beating up the current talents. All of this added up to a WrestleMania that felt thrown together, carelessly booked, and far short of its potential.
In the end, the biggest silver lining to a severely disappointing WrestleMania may well be that it offered the emergent women’s division an opportunity to shine. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks emerged as a pretty clear cut match of the night—the first time the women of WWE could make such a claim in WrestleMania history. This match paved the road for women to work featured matches every year to follow, including garnering their first main event spot at WrestleMania 35.
Reports have emerged on why Brock Lesnar vs Oba Femi will not headline WrestleMania 42 Night 1, despite the magnitude of the matchup. Instead, the bout will open Night 2 on ESPN
WWE confirmed the official match cards for WrestleMania 42 Night 1 and Night 2 during an appearance by Joe Tessitore on ESPN’s Get Up show. The announcement revealed the placement of several high-profile matches across both nights.
Brock Lesnar vs Oba Femi Kicks Off Night 2
Bryan Alvarez addressed the decision on Wrestling Observer Live, explaining WWE’s strategy behind the placement. According to Alvarez, the company wants a marquee match airing on ESPN to maximize exposure.
“The reason that Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi is not headlining night one, which it should, if we’re being honest, is because it’s opening night two. It is going to be on ESPN, free for everybody. They just want a big fight on ESPN.”
The ladder match featuring Penta, Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, Rusev, JD McDonagh and Rey Mysterio will also air on ESPN during Night 2.
The highly anticipated clash between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi has generated massive excitement. It all kicked off when Lesnar laid down an open challenge. Oba Femi stormed onto the scene to a massive reaction, instantly shifting the spotlight. ‘The Ruler’ then lifted Lesnar and planted him with a devastating “Fall from Grace.”
From that moment on, the road to WrestleMania has been intense. The initial setup was powerful, and every segment that followed only added more fuel to what’s shaping up to be a must-see battle.
