Marquette, MI – August 5th, 2026 – One of the greatest combat sports athletes of all time has officially called it a career.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Brock Lesnar announced that his match against Oba Femi at SummerSlam was the final match of his legendary professional wrestling career.
“I’m here today to let the world know that I am retired,” Lesnar said. “Saturday was a very emotional day for me. It was kind of weird. When Oba Femi slammed me at WrestleMania, I said, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I think I’m done.’ But the business called, and I still had some fuel in the tank.”
You can watch Lesnar’s full retirement announcement on The Pat McAfee Show by clicking the link below.
Lesnar’s final match took place in front of a hometown crowd in Minnesota as WWE brought its biggest event of the summer, SummerSlam, to U.S. Bank Stadium. At 49 years old, Lesnar headlined Night One against one of WWE’s fastest-rising superstars, Oba Femi, in a brutal Hell in a Cell match surrounded by nearly 10,000 pounds of steel.
The two heavyweights waged an unforgettable battle, using tables, chairs, and every inch of the massive steel structure. Lesnar even ripped apart the ring, exposing the wooden boards underneath before delivering a devastating Tombstone Piledriver, the move made famous by The Undertaker. Despite everything Lesnar threw at him, Femi refused to stay down.
In the end, the younger superstar proved too much. Femi defeated Lesnar in what became the final match of “The Beast Incarnate’s” career.
Following the contest, the two giants shared an emotional moment in the ring. Lesnar grabbed a microphone, called himself “the past,” referred to Femi as “the future,” and raised his opponent’s hand in what felt like the perfect passing-of-the-torch moment.
From South Dakota Farm Kid to NCAA Champion
Long before becoming one of the biggest names in sports entertainment, Lesnar grew up in Webster, South Dakota.
As a senior at Webster High School, he finished with a perfect 33-0 wrestling record before winning the NJCAA Heavyweight National Championship at Bismarck State College, where he also became a two-time All-American.
Lesnar then earned a wrestling scholarship to the University of Minnesota. There, he continued to dominate, becoming a two-time All-American, winning two Big Ten heavyweight championships, finishing as the NCAA runner-up as a junior, and capturing the 2000 NCAA Division I National Heavyweight Championship as a senior. He completed his collegiate career with an incredible 106-5 record.
Becoming WWE’s Next Superstar
After college, Lesnar signed with WWE and spent two years developing in Ohio Valley Wrestling before making his main roster debut on March 18, 2002.
His rise was nothing short of historic. Less than six months after debuting, Lesnar defeated The Rock at SummerSlam 2002 to become the youngest WWE Champion in company history, launching one of the most dominant careers professional wrestling has ever seen.
Chasing Success Beyond Wrestling
In 2004, Lesnar shocked the wrestling world by leaving WWE to pursue a career in the NFL.
Despite never playing college football, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings, made it through training camp, and even recorded a tackle and forced fumble during the preseason before being released. Although he never appeared in a regular-season NFL game, simply earning an opportunity at the highest level remains one of the most remarkable athletic accomplishments of his career.
A few years later, Lesnar took on an even bigger challenge.
In 2007, he entered mixed martial arts and quickly became one of the UFC’s biggest stars. In just his fourth professional fight, Lesnar defeated Randy Couture to capture the UFC Heavyweight Championship in 2008.
He retired from MMA in 2015 before returning for one final appearance against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in 2016.
The Return of “The Beast”
After nearly a decade away from WWE, Lesnar returned on the April 2, 2012, episode of Raw, confronting John Cena and immediately reestablishing himself as one of the company’s biggest attractions. Over the next decade, he continued building one of the most decorated résumés in WWE history. His accomplishments include:
- Seven-time WWE Champion
- Three-time Universal Champion
- Two-time Royal Rumble winner
- King of the Ring winner
- Money in the Bank winner
After stepping away in 2023, many believed Lesnar’s career had quietly ended. Instead, he made a surprise return at SummerSlam 2025, attacking John Cena following Cena’s loss to Cody Rhodes. That comeback ultimately led to one final run, culminating with this past weekend’s farewell match against Oba Femi.
A Career-Defining Legacy
Perhaps the most iconic moment of Lesnar’s career came at WrestleMania XXX in 2014.
With no championship on the line, Lesnar accomplished what many believed was impossible by defeating The Undertaker and ending his legendary 21-0 WrestleMania undefeated streak. The shocking victory remains one of the most unforgettable moments in professional wrestling history.
Now, after championships in amateur wrestling, success in the NFL despite no football background, a UFC heavyweight title, and a Hall of Fame-worthy WWE career, Lesnar walks away as one of the most accomplished and unique athletes ever to compete in combat sports.
As he reflected on his career during The Pat McAfee Show, Lesnar shared one final message.
“I was just a farm kid from South Dakota with a big dream, a big heart and a big-ass chip on my shoulder,” Lesnar said. “I’m just grateful to be 49 years old and have been able to do what I did in this lifetime. I thank God and everybody that supported me.”
He also had some advice for the next generation.
“I want to say to the little kids, I was a little farm kid with a bunch of lint in my pocket. I had big dreams and I just worked. I think a lot of people with social media platforms see athletes doing things and they leave out the hard work. If kids just stay focused on work and putting time in, good things will happen.”
With his retirement now official, Brock Lesnar closes the book on one of the most remarkable careers in sports history. From NCAA champion to WWE megastar, NFL hopeful, UFC heavyweight champion, and one of the most recognizable athletes of his generation, “The Beast Incarnate” leaves behind a legacy that few will ever equal.
