10-time WWE icon Brock Lesnar announces retirement from professional wrestling
The 49-year-old said he had thought about retiring earlier this year after his WrestleMania match against Oba Femi, which pushed him to his limits.
PTC News Desk: Brock Lesnar has announced his retirement from professional wrestling, bringing the curtain down on one of the sport's most successful careers. The former WWE Champion revealed the news during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, saying that his match at SummerSlam was the last of his in-ring career.
The 49-year-old said he had thought about retiring earlier this year after his WrestleMania match against Oba Femi, which pushed him to his limits. Lesnar admitted he felt that his wrestling career had ended after that bout, but he decided to return for one final match inside Hell in a Cell in Minneapolis before officially calling it quits.
Lesnar built a legendary career with his unique mix of power, athleticism and intensity. After leaving WWE in 2004, he briefly pursued a career in the NFL and joined the Minnesota Vikings during the preseason, but was later released.
“I’m here today to let the world know 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. Saturday, for Brock Lesnar, that’s it. That’s it for me in the squared circle and everything else."
He then moved to mixed martial arts and joined the UFC, where he won the heavyweight title in just his fourth fight by defeating Randy Couture in 2008. Lesnar's final UFC appearance came against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in 2016.
Reflecting on his journey, Lesnar said his success was driven by hard work and determination. He described himself as a small-town boy from South Dakota who achieved big dreams despite having limited opportunities.
“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."