Brock Lesnar’s first WWE departure in 2004 was not a permanent retirement: he briefly pursued the NFL, moved into mixed martial arts, won the UFC heavyweight championship, and returned to WWE in 2012. After another WWE run and a 2025 return to the ring, he announced his retirement from professional wrestling on August 4, 2026. As of October 8, 2026, his stated plans are to spend more time with family, support his children’s sports, and hunt.
Lesnar’s career after leaving WWE in 2004
Lesnar requested his release from WWE in 2004. Burnout from the demanding schedule was among the reasons reported for his departure. He briefly pursued a career in the NFL, then turned to mixed martial arts. MMA Fighting’s career chronology reports that he made his MMA debut in 2007 and won the UFC heavyweight championship in his fourth professional bout.
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From MMA champion back to WWE
Lesnar’s UFC title run was followed by a return to WWE in 2012. His later MMA career included a fight with Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in 2016. MMA Fighting reports that the result was subsequently changed to a no contest after Lesnar tested positive for a banned substance. He continued to make WWE appearances after that fight.
His latest WWE run and retirement
Lesnar returned to WWE in-ring activity in 2025 after a period away from the screen. The return followed his being named in a lawsuit involving Vince McMahon; being named in a lawsuit is not a finding of wrongdoing. MMA Fighting reported on his return and career timeline.
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In April 2026, Lesnar lost to Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42. He lost to Femi again at SummerSlam on August 1. Three days later, Lesnar announced on The Pat McAfee Show that he was retiring from professional wrestling: “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.” WWE’s announcement describes his wrestling career as 24 years long.
What Lesnar says he plans to do now
Lesnar said he has hunting planned and intends to support his two sons’ hockey. He also said his daughter has her eye on the 2028 Olympics; that is an ambition he reported, not a confirmed qualification or Olympic berth. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, in a transcription published by Fightful, Lesnar said: “I got some hunting lined up and I got two boys in hockey. I’m gonna support that, their dreams, as long as that’s feasible and my daughter — she’s got her eye on 2028 Olympics and just gonna spend some more time with the kids and in the woods and just reap what I’ve sown, you know? Just enjoy life.” Fightful’s transcription credits the show and requests an H/T to Fightful.
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Career milestones in context
WWE’s retirement announcement lists seven WWE Championships, three Universal Championships, and two Royal Rumble victories. Those are WWE’s stated career honors. In a separate recap, Sportsnet reports a professional MMA record of 5-3-1 and says Lesnar won the UFC heavyweight title at UFC 91 in 2008.
| Year | Career phase or event | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Left WWE | Requested his release, then briefly pursued the NFL before turning to MMA. |
| 2007–2008 | MMA and UFC | Made his MMA debut in 2007 and won the UFC heavyweight title in 2008. |
| 2012 | Returned to WWE | Resumed his professional wrestling career after his initial UFC championship period. |
| 2016 | UFC 200 | Fought Mark Hunt; the result was later overturned to a no contest after a positive banned-substance test. |
| 2025 | Returned to WWE in-ring activity | Appeared again after a period away from the screen. |
| 2026 | Retired from professional wrestling | After two matches against Oba Femi, announced his retirement on August 4. |
These are distinct career transitions: the 2004 departure led to other sports, the 2012 return restarted his WWE career, and the 2026 announcement is his stated retirement from professional wrestling. As of October 8, 2026, the sources available report no new professional role or future wrestling appearance.
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