Brock Lesnar Confirms WWE Retirement After Defeat Against Oba Femi At SummerSlam

 

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) icon Brock Lesnar bid adieu to professional wrestling as he revealed his decision after a defeat against Nigerian wrestling star Oba Femi at the ‘Summerslam’ event held on August 1. The 49-year-old has been a multiple-time WWE Champion and also had stints in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), which comprised an illustrious combat sport career. The wrestler confirmed his decision on 'The Pat McAfee Show'.

 

While speaking on the show, he said that the bout against Femi was the last of his career. Following the match with Oba at SummerSlam, Brock raised his opponent’s hand as a sign of respect.

"I am here today to let the world know that I am retired," Lesnar said at the show as quoted by ESPN.

"Saturday was a very emotional day for me. It was kind of weird. When Oba Femi slammed me at WrestleMania, I said, 'I cannot do this anymore. I think I am done.' But the business called, and I still had some fuel in the tank. Saturday, for Brock Lesnar, that is it. That is it for me in the squared circle and everything else," he signed off.

Lesnar signed off one of the greatest careers in the world of combat sports. He was a two-time All-American and a two-time Big Ten champion. Also, he won an NCAA Division I national championship in wrestling for the University of Minnesota in 2000.

 

Lesnar has won 10 WWE Championship titles. He debuted in 2002 and won two 'Royal Rumble' matches (2003 and 2022), won the 'King of the Ring' tournament (2002), and the 'Money in the Bank' ladder match (2019) during his tenure.

 

In 2004, he stepped away from WWE with a brief stint in the National Football League (NFL). In 2007, Lesnar entered the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) ring and also clinched the UFC Heavyweight title. He returned to the WWE again in 2012 but lost to John Cena in an ‘Extreme Rules’ match.

"I was just a farm kid from South Dakota with a big dream, a big heart and a big-ass chip on my shoulder. I am 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 stated.

"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.”