Brock Lesnar is still active in the world of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts, but he has not appeared on WWE television since April 2021, when he lost the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36. Since then, he has been a free agent, sparking rumors and speculations about his future plans and potential return to WWE or UFC.
Brock Lesnarâs Career in WWE and MMA
Early Life And Amateur Wrestling Background
Brock Lesnar, born July 12, 1977, in Webster, South Dakota, USA, was raised on a dairy farm, which sparked his wrestling passion. He won three amateur wrestling state championships at Webster High School. He won the 1998 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) heavyweight wrestling title while studying at Bismarck State College. After moving to the University of Minnesota, he wrestled and became a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and 2000 heavyweight champion.
Success in Professional Wrestling
Lesnar was scouted by WWE officials while competing in collegiate wrestling and signed a developmental contract with the company in 2000. He debuted on WWEâs main roster in March 2002, as âThe Next Big Thingâ, a monstrous powerhouse who dominated his opponents with his strength and agility. He was managed by Paul Heyman, who acted as his mouthpiece and advocate. Lesnar won the King of the Ring tournament in June 2002 and defeated The Rock to become the youngest WWE Champion at SummerSlam in August 2002.
The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Big Show, and Eddie Guerrero were Lesnar’s opponents as WWE Champion. In 2003, he won the Royal Rumble as WWE Champion. However, Lesnar became dissatisfied with WWE’s rigorous schedule and creative direction and left the organization following WrestleMania XX in March 2004, when he lost to Goldberg in a bout that was loudly booed.
Moves to Japanese Promotions
After leaving WWE, Lesnar became a defensive lineman with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. He returned to pro wrestling after being cut during pre-season. He won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in a three-way match in January 2005 after signing with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in October 2004. He defended the championship against Shinsuke Nakamura, Akebono, and Giant Bernard, but WWE sued him for wrestling for NJPW, claiming he violated his non-compete agreement.
After a wage issue, Lesnar quit NJPW and refused to return the IWGP Heavyweight Championship title in July 2006. He later joined Inoki Genome Federation (IGF), another Japanese organization created by Antonio Inoki, and proceeded to earn the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He defended the title against Yuji Nagata, Naoya Ogawa, and Kurt Angle, losing to Angle in June 2007.
Returns to WWE in 2012
In a shocking twist, Lesnar returned to WWE on April 2, 2012, the evening following WrestleMania XXVIII. His return was marked by an attack on John Cena that ended with a signature F-5. The confrontation escalated into a feud that reached its peak in a harrowing Extreme Rules match in April 2012, with Cena emerging victorious despite significant injuries. Subsequently, Lesnar joined forces with Paul Heyman once more, setting his sights on Triple H. Using his Kimura Lock, Lesnar broke Triple H’s arm twice, leading to a victory at SummerSlam in August 2012, only to be defeated in April 2013 at WrestleMania XXIX.
Aiming high, Lesnar targeted The Undertakerâs long-standing undefeated streak at WrestleMania, a record of unparalleled prestige in the world of professional wrestling. Facing The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXX in April 2014, Lesnar stunned the global audience by defeating him with three F-5s, shattering The Undertakerâs streak and becoming âThe Oneâ in 21-1.
John Cena challenged Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam in August 2014. His performance against Cena was one of unmatched dominance, as he delivered 16 German suplexes and two F-5s, clinching the title. Despite spirited defenses against Cena, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose, he succumbed to Rollins at WrestleMania 31 in March 2015, after a timely cash-in of Rollinsâ Money in the Bank contract.
His feud with The Undertaker resumed, with a loss under contentious circumstances at Battleground in July 2015, but a victory inside Hell in a Cell in October 2015. Lesnar then entered the 2016 Royal Rumble as a favorite but was ousted by the Wyatt Family. A brutal street fight against Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania 32 in April 2016 saw Lesnar emerge triumphant.
In August 2016, he beat Randy Orton by technical knockout at SummerSlam after Orton was concussed by a series of devastating elbow blows. Goldberg, returning to WWE after a 12-year absence, handed Lesnar a stunning defeat in 86 seconds at Survivor Series in November 2016. Seeking redemption, Lesnar ousted Goldberg from the 2017 Royal Rumble, only to be eliminated by Goldberg later on. Their rivalry concluded with Lesnar gaining victory and the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 33 in April 2017.
Lesnar defended the WWE Universal Championship for a record 504 days against Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman, Kane, Roman Reigns, and AJ Styles. He was the first to win the WWE Championship and WWE Universal Championship. His part-time schedule and few broadcast appearances led to a SummerSlam championship loss against Roman Reigns.
Switching gears, Lesnar moved to SmackDown and challenged Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship on October 4, 2019, during SmackDown’s Fox premiere. He overpowered Kingston in nine seconds, clinching the title for the fifth time. He then faced Cain Velasquez, his former UFC adversary, at Crown Jewel in October 2019, where he retained the title by submission. His reign was finally ended by Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36 in April 2020.
Second Return to WWE in 2021
Lesnar made another surprise return to WWE on August 21, 2021, at SummerSlam, where he confronted Roman Reigns after Reigns had retained the WWE Universal Championship against John Cena. Lesnar then appeared on SmackDown on August 27, 2021, where he challenged Reigns for the title, but was denied by Reignsâ manager Paul Heyman, who had previously worked with Lesnar. Lesnar then attacked John Cena again and delivered an F-5 to him.
Lesnar then appeared on Raw on September 20, 2021, where he announced that he was a free agent and could appear on both Raw and SmackDown. He then challenged Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship at Crown Jewel on October 21, 2021. However, he was suspended indefinitely by WWE officials after attacking several referees and security guards during a contract signing segment with Lashley.
Lesnar then returned to WWE on January 29, 2022, as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble match. He eliminated several wrestlers before being eliminated by Seth Rollins with the help of Roman Reigns. Lesnar then challenged Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania XXXIX on April 2, 2022. He lost the match after Paul Heyman betrayed him and hit him with a steel chair.
Lesnar then made his last appearance on WWE television on April 10, 2022, on Raw after WrestleMania XXXIX. He attacked Cody Rhodes and delivered an F-5 to him through a table. He then left WWE without any explanation or farewell.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Lesnar entered the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) in June 2007, debuting at K-1 Heroâs Dynamite!! USA event. There, he claimed victory over Min-Soo Kim with a first-round submission resulting from strikes. He joined the UFC, the world’s top MMA organization. His UFC journey began in February 2008, facing off against past UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir. However, he succumbed to a kneebar submission in the initial round.
November 2008 saw Lesnar challenging Randy Couture for the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 91. He seized the title, defeating Couture in the second round via a technical knockout. A rematch with Frank Mir took place at UFC 100 in July 2009, with Lesnar vindicating his previous loss and maintaining his championship through a second-round technical knockout. UFC 116 in July 2010 put him against Shane Carwin, where after weathering a fierce initial round, Lesnar secured victory in the second round with an arm-triangle choke, unifying the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Lesnarâs reign ended at UFC 121 in October 2010, when Cain Velasquez claimed the title via a first-round technical knockout. Lesnar retired after losing to Alistair Overeem in the first round at UFC 141 in December 2011.
At UFC 200, Lesnar faced Mark Hunt. Lesnar tested positive for a banned drug, reversing his unanimous decision win. The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended him for a year and fined him $250,000.
Lesnar challenged Daniel Cormier, the new UFC Heavyweight Champion, at UFC 226 in July 2018 to return to MMA. Despite this, Lesnar did not rejoin USADA and retired again in May 2019.
Recent Developments and Rumors
Retirement Rumors
Lesnar hasn’t wrestled since April 2021, when he last appeared on WWE TV. This has led to suggestions that Lesnar may have retired from pro wrestling or is waiting for the perfect offer to return.
Lesnar, his wife Rena (former WWE Diva Sable), and their four children reside on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada. Hunting, fishing, and farming are his hobbies. According to other reports, Lesnar is still interested in pro-wrestling and MMA but won’t work during the COVID-19 epidemic or travel.
Lesnarâs Absence from WWE
Lesnarâs absence from WWE has also had a significant impact on the company and its fans. Lesnar was one of WWEâs biggest draws and attractions, as well as one of its highest-paid performers. His matches and appearances were always anticipated and hyped up by the fans and the media. His presence also added credibility and prestige to WWEâs titles and events.
However, Lesnarâs absence has also created some opportunities for other wrestlers to step up and fill the void left by him. Wrestlers like Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, Roman Reigns, Big E, and Omos have emerged as new top stars and champions in WWE. They have also been involved in new storylines and feuds that have kept the fans entertained and engaged.
Free Agent Status
Lesnar’s free-agent status has also spurred whispers of a WWE comeback or a transfer to another organization. Fans had anticipated Lesnar will return to WWE and continue his battle with SmackDown heel champion Roman Reigns. Others have argued that Lesnar may join Raw and confront Bobby Lashley, Raw’s dominating heel champion.
Some fans have claimed that Lesnar may join All Elite Wrestling (AEW), WWE’s major rival organization that has been quickly rising and signing former WWE stars like CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, and Malakai Black. Lesnar could fight AEW’s top talents like Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, Cody Rhodes, and Chris Jericho, they thought.
Fans have even suggested that Lesnar may return to MMA and sign with Bellator MMA, another major MMA promotion with former UFC stars like Fedor Emelianenko, Ryan Bader, Gegard Mousasi, and Cris Cyborg. Lesnar might fight Bellator’s best heavyweights like Cheick Kongo, Tim Johnson, Valentin Moldavsky, and Sergei Kharitonov.
Future Plans and Speculations
Lesnar’s future is unclear. He has not announced his status or plans. His final WWE performance was also his last public appearance. His silence has kept people speculating about his future move.
Some sources say Lesnar is still in touch with WWE and might return. They also say Lesnar is fit and ready to fight. They have also speculated that Lesnar might surprise WWE at Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, or WrestleMania.
Impact of Lesnarâs Departure on WWE
Lesnarâs departure from WWE has had a mixed impact on the company and its fans. On one hand, Lesnarâs departure has been a loss for WWE, as he was one of its biggest stars and attractions. He also brought a lot of attention and revenue to WWE, as well as a lot of excitement and entertainment to the fans. He also added a lot of credibility and prestige to WWEâs titles and events.
On the other hand, Lesnarâs departure has also been a blessing for WWE, as it has allowed other wrestlers to shine and grow. It has also given more creative freedom and flexibility to WWE, as it does not have to rely on Lesnarâs limited schedule and appearances. It has also given more variety and diversity to WWEâs roster and matches.
