It's the end of the road for Brock Lesnar. The longtime professional wrestler has retired more than 25 years after originally signing with WWE.
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Lesnar announced the career change on Sunday evening as part of WrestleMania 42. He faced off with former two-time NXT Champion Oba Femi, who secured a clean pin to kick off the second night.
Yet, Lesnar did not simply exit the ring. He sat on the mat for a few moments before undoing his gloves and tossing them away. He then untied his shoes while showing the emotion of the moment.
Brock Lesnar leaves his gear in the ring. What's next for The Beast?
The FIRST HOUR of #WrestleMania is LIVE RIGHT NOW on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/CkS4hoG231
— WWE (@WWE) April 19, 2026
Once finished, he piled his gear in the center of the ring and held his arms to the crowd. They responded by chanting, "Thank you, Brock. Thank you, Brock."
Lesnar shared a long embrace with longtime manager Paul Heyman before pounding the mat with his hands and then walking away. He slapped hands with multiple fans before exiting the arena.
This marked the end of a major chapter in Lesnar's life, which has featured numerous stops. He first signed with WWE in 2000 but departed in 2004 to pursue the dream of playing in the NFL. He spent some time with the Minnesota Vikings, but didn't last beyond the preseason.
The veteran wrestler didn't return to WWE after his stint with the Vikings. He actually won the heavyweight title in New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 2005. He successfully defended the title for multiple years before ultimately losing it in 2007 to Kurt Angle.
Lesnar spent several years in UFC and posted a record of 5-3. He won the heavyweight title in 2008 by defeating Randy Couture. He then defended his title against Frank Mir and Shane Carwin before losing the belt to Cain Velasquez.
He returned to WWE between 2012 and 2020 before retiring. He returned again in 2021 and kicked off his third tenure. This lasted through April 19, 2026, when he officially stepped away from the promotion.
