WWE hints at whether Brock Lesnar’s retirement is real with a quiet move
WWE seems to have given a hint about whether Brock Lesnar’s retirement is real after he left his gloves and boots in the ring at WrestleMania 42. The former UFC heavyweight champ faced off against rising star Oba Femi during night two’s opening match at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Lesnar, one of the most powerful wrestlers ever, was defeated in just a few minutes in what looked like a passing of the torch moment. Then, the 48-year-old surprised fans by taking off his gloves and boots right in the middle of the ring—a move that usually signals retirement.
After that, Lesnar made an X gesture and shared a heartfelt hug with his longtime manager and mentor, Paul Heyman. The crowd gave him a big standing ovation as he left the ring. Heyman strongly suggested Lesnar is retired, but a report from Fightful said many WWE officials were caught off guard by his actions.
Wrestling expert Dave Meltzer mentioned that some people in WWE think Lesnar might not be done yet. Former WWE star CJ Perry, known as Lana, even thinks Lesnar could come back for a big match in Saudi Arabia. There’s also talk about SummerSlam happening in Lesnar’s hometown of Minneapolis, which could be the perfect place for his return.
On the official WWE website, fans noticed Lesnar’s profile has moved to the alumni section, joining names like Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, who also recently left WWE.
Lesnar first joined WWE in 2002, left two years later to try the NFL and then had huge success in the UFC. He made a big comeback in 2012 by attacking John Cena, and again recently in September at Wrestlepalooza, surprising fans after a long break that followed some controversy involving former boss Vince McMahon.
If Lesnar does fight again, it might be against Gunther, who has been on a roll, retiring legends like Goldberg, Cena, and AJ Styles. In WWE’s storyline, Heyman owes Gunther a favor after Gunther took out Seth Rollins at WrestleMania.