Brock Lesnar appeared to retire from wrestling at Night 2 of WrestleMania 42 on Sunday. After losing to Oba Femi to kick off the event, an emotional Lesnar removed his gloves and boots, leaving them in the center of the ring.
Lesnar, nearly in tears, stood in the ring and raised his arms to the fans before sharing an embrace with longtime manager Paul Heyman. Lesnar took a few more minutes in the ring before walking out, uncharacteristically taking time to shake the hands of fans at ringside.
Lesnar transitioned from a highly successful collegiate wrestling career to professional wrestling, starting in WWE developmental territory in 2000 before debuting in WWE in 2002. He became the youngest wrestler to hold a WWE world championship when he defeated The Rock at SummerSlam that August at 25 years old.
Lesnar left WWE after WrestleMania XX, competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling briefly before transitioning to a mixed martial arts career that saw him quickly enter the UFC where he won the heavyweight championship in 2008, defeating legendary mixed martial artist Randy Couture in what was just Lesnar’s fourth professional fight.
Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012 where he remained a major player. He stayed with the promotion until retiring in 2020, but made a return as a part-time wrestler in 2021.
Lesnar held the WWE championship seven times, in addition to three reigns as world heavyweight champion. He also won two Royal Rumbles and is a former King of the Ring tournament and Money in the Bank ladder match winner.
