Brock Lesnar has confirmed his retirement from professional wrestling. The 49 year old made the announcement on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday.
Lesnar said he is retired from the squared circle and everything else. His final match took place at WWE SummerSlam on Saturday in Minneapolis. He lost to Oba Femi in a Hell in a Cell match.
“I’m here today to do this interview to let the world and everybody know that I am retired, and I wanted to say a big thank you to everybody,” Lesnar told the show. “Saturday was a very emotional day for me.”
Lesnar explained that he felt finished after a loss to Femi at WrestleMania earlier this year. He left his gloves and boots in the ring that night. He later returned and defeated Femi at Clash in Italy. That set up the third match at SummerSlam.
“When Oba Femi slammed me at WrestleMania, I was like, ‘I can’t do this again. I think I’m done,’” Lesnar said. “But the business and I still had some fuel in the tank. But Saturday for Brock Lesnar, that’s it. That’s it for me in the squared circle and for everything else too.”
After the SummerSlam match, Lesnar raised Femi’s hand and told the crowd that Femi is the future and he is the past. WWE has moved Lesnar to the alumni section of its website.
Lesnar reflected on his career. He described himself as a farm kid from South Dakota with a big dream, a big heart, and a chip on his shoulder. He thanked fans, coaches, and supporters. He said he is grateful to have reached age 49 and accomplished what he did.
Lesnar plans to spend more time with his family. His sons play hockey. His daughter competes in shot put and aims for the Olympics. He also plans to do more hunting and enjoy life.
Lesnar’s career included multiple WWE championships and a successful run in the UFC. The announcement follows his long tenure as one of the most prominent figures in combat sports and professional wrestling.