WWE May Be Prepping Brock Lesnar’s Retirement for 2026

Speculation around Brock Lesnar’s WWE future is picking up steam again—but according to Dave Meltzer, nothing is finalized just yet.

Following comments from John Cena that fueled talk of Lesnar potentially retiring at SummerSlam 2026, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has now weighed in on where those rumors are coming from and how solid they really are. While the idea of Lesnar riding off into the sunset next year has been circulating, Meltzer says the situation is far more fluid than some reports suggest.

Meltzer explained that while the rumor is making the rounds, he has not been able to confirm SummerSlam 2026 as a locked-in retirement date for Lesnar. He did, however, acknowledge that Lesnar’s name has come up internally when discussing long-term plans for 2026.

“There is a story going around that Lesnar will retire at SummerSlam 2026. I can’t confirm that date but did at least a month hear that the working plans for 2026 would be the WWE retirement runs for Lesnar, Styles and potentially Jericho if he signs.”

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He then clarified that, of the names mentioned, only one appears to have firm plans in place.

“I didn’t get the impression it was locked in except for Styles, who has made it clear it will be in 2026 but not when. But the Lesnar name has been talked about, which is probably where the story came from.”

The update follows Cena’s recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, where Cena suggested Lesnar’s final match could take place in Minnesota—where Lesnar’s wrestling career began—just as WWE has already announced Minneapolis as the host city for SummerSlam 2026 on August 1 and 2.

Lesnar has been used sparingly in recent years, appearing only for major feuds and marquee events. With WWE reportedly mapping out multiple retirement runs for top stars in 2026, the idea of Lesnar being part of that wave isn’t far-fetched—but according to Meltzer, it’s still very much a discussion rather than a decision.

Is SummerSlam 2026 the right place for Brock Lesnar to call it a career, or should WWE keep the door open for one last run beyond that? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know how you see The Beast’s final chapter playing out.