Jason Burgos
One of the biggest stories that came out of this weekend’s WrestleMania 42 two-night card was what looked to be the stunning retirement of WWE icon Brock Lesnar. After being defeated by Oba Femi in just four minutes, “The Beast” removed his gloves and shoes, placed them in the middle of the ring, and said goodbye to fans.
It looked like he gave fans a surprise retirement, or maybe not. According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer, sources tell him decision-makers in WWE are under the impression Lesnar is not actually retired, but is expected to bring an official end to his career in 2026, “probably.”
If Brock Lesnar is not officially retired, let’s take a look at five potential opponents if he gets a grand send-off like John Cena and Goldberg.
Gunther
The odds-on favorite to be Lesnar’s final opponent is the same man who made Goldberg, Cena, and AJ Styles quit in their last match, Gunther. He is now known as the “Career Killer,” and it would make sense for him to add to his impressive hit list by also putting Lesnar to sleep. However, it is very predictable and would take a lot of excitement out of a possible match. Plus, at this point, Gunther doesn’t really need it.
Bron Breakker
Another intriguing option for Lesnar’s final opponent is Bron Breakker. With the sun setting on the career of one Paul Heyman guy, the legendary manager has made Breakker his new No. 1 client. Having Breakker violently send “The Beast” into retirement seems fitting and would be a massive win for the second-generation star.
Bronson Reed
If not Breakker, his The Vision faction mate, Bronson Reed, would be another sensible option. He already has a win over Roman Reigns. So, getting a W over Lesnar would be another big feather in his cap. Furthermore, Reed is a talented wrestler who would offer a unique foe for the future Hall of Famer. Also, watching Lesnar take Reed to Suplex City would be quite a sight.
CM Punk
WWE could also go in a completely different direction for Lesnar’s last match and put him in the ring with another legend, such as CM Punk. There is no bigger star in the company than Punk. So a SummerSlam rematch of their “The Best vs. The Beast” bout from over a decade ago would be an easy main event for this summer’s two-night mega event.
LA Knight
The idea of Lesnar taking one final loss to elevate a fresh talent often comes with the assumption that it must be a young performer. However, a fan-favorite like LA Knight would benefit greatly from getting a win over Lesnar, especially in his last match.
It would be a unique clash of styles and personalities, and Knight was an early rumored foe for Lesnar at WrestleMania this year. So the company may have already considered the idea.
