WWE Originally Expected Brock Lesnar To Retire At SummerSlam Instead Of WrestleMania 42

Brock Lesnar’s emotional moment at WrestleMania 42 may have come earlier than many in WWE expected, according to a new backstage update.

Lesnar opened Night Two of WrestleMania 42 in a singles match against Oba Femi, but the bout didn’t last long. In under six minutes, Femi powered through the former champion and finished him off with a powerbomb to secure the win in dominant fashion. What happened after the match quickly became the bigger story.

Lesnar remained seated on the mat following the loss before removing his gloves and boots and leaving them in the ring — a move widely seen as a sign of retirement. The moment turned emotional as Paul Heyman entered the ring, and the two shared an embrace before walking out together.

Now, a new report indicates that this farewell-style moment may not have been expected to happen at WrestleMania. According to Fightful Select, WWE officials had been anticipating Lesnar to retire later in the year instead of during WrestleMania weekend.

"Many in WWE expected Lesnar to retire at the 2026 SummerSlam Premium Live Event."

That detail suggests Lesnar’s apparent send-off at WrestleMania 42 may have come months earlier than originally planned, leaving questions about whether the decision changed recently or if Lesnar chose to end things on his own timeline.

With Lesnar leaving his gear in the ring and sharing an emotional moment with Paul Heyman, many fans believe they may have witnessed the final chapter of one of WWE’s most dominant careers — even if the timing wasn’t what many backstage expected.

Do you think Brock Lesnar really retired at WrestleMania 42, or could he still return for one final match at SummerSlam like WWE originally expected? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.