One of the most anticipated matches of the 2026 WrestleMania weekend was Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi.
The matchup of these two behemoth athletes — Lesnar, the elder former champion, and Femi, the young up-and-coming prospect — was undoubtedly an impressive graphic on the WrestleMania 42 poster.
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However, as huge as the pair of combatants stood when they collided on Sunday, what happened after the match may turn out to be just as seismic.
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Brock Lesnar appears to retire from pro wrestling at WrestleMania 42
Brock Lesnar may have performed in his final match as a pro wrestler, at least with World Wrestling Entertainment.
Another one of my WrestleMania 42 predictions came true just about exactly as I foresaw it.
The 10-time former world champion lost to Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42, with the up-and-coming Nigerian dominating proceedings.
After the convincing loss, Lesnar untied his gloves and boots, then left them in the ring as he climbed the ropes, waved at fans who were chanting “Thank you, Brock,” and walked out while embracing his longtime advocate/manager Paul Heyman.
This would appear to be the traditional way in which a professional wrestler would retire: Go out “on your back” by losing to a younger wrestler the company is trying to promote.
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“The Ruler” fits that bill as the name to end Lesnar’s career.
Though the commentary from Michael Cole and Wade Barrett went silent during this post-match display, the gist is that The Beast Incarnate is stepping away for good, ending a storied yet turbulent career.
Looking back on Brock Lesnar’s WWE and pro wrestling career
Youngest ever world champion
The former NCAA wrestling national champion at Minnesota has won 10 WWE world championships (7 WWE Championships, 3 WWE Universal Championships), the 2002 King of the Ring tournament, two Royal Rumbles (2003, 2022), the 2019 Money In The Bank ladder match, and five Slammy awards.
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At the time Lesnar defeated The Rock for his first-ever world title at SummerSlam 2002 at age 25, he was the youngest world champion in WWE history.
Planting a giant flag during the underrated Ruthless Aggression era, huge moments included his WrestleMania XIX main event versus Kurt Angle — which included a nearly botched shooting star press that almost resulted in a serious neck injury. (He finished and won the match, by the way.)
Lesnar left WWE in 2004 after a controversial WrestleMania 20 match with fellow departee Goldberg, to pursue a career in the NFL.
Break from WWE to win UFC Heavyweight Championship
He also left in 2007 to start his UFC career, during which he won the UFC Heavyweight Championship by defeating legend Randy Couture (TKO, punches).
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His reign also saw successful defenses against Frank Mir at UFC 100 (second-round TKO) and Shane Carwin at UFC 116 (second-round submission).
WWE return, ending The Streak
Upon returning from a UFC stint (more below) in 2012, he would re-emerge in the main-event scene with one non-title win that cemented him in history.
Lesnar ended The Undertaker’s then-21-match win streak at WrestleMania 30, one of the highest honors that any WWE wrestler would’ve taken.
From there, Lesnar would win the world championship seven times, including rivalries and WrestleMania main events with Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Drew McIntyre.
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Janel Grant lawsuit
Lesnar was known for cantankerous behavior toward others backstage but was always a favorite of Vince McMahon, the disgraced chairman of WWE.
The ongoing legal investigation against McMahon for unseemly workplace treatment of a female employee, Janel Grant, also listed Lesnar as a person of interest, accusing the performer of salacious treatment toward her in texts and other interactions.
Though no files have been charged against Lesnar, this has been another mark on his reputation.
This story was originally published by Lindys Sports on Apr 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Other Sports section. Add Lindys Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
