With Brock Lesnar set to rematch with Oba Femi at Clash in Italy this weekend, there is now an update on what the Beast’s current WWE status is. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that the current plan is for Lesnar to officially retire at SummerSlam later this year.
A Historic Homecoming in Minnesota
While Brock was born in Webster, South Dakota, he is synonymous with Minnesota. He became an NCAA Division I champion during his time at the University of Minnesota prior to signing with WWE in 2000.
As it happens, SummerSlam 2026 takes place at Minneapolis, Minnesota’s U.S. Bank Stadium, which would serve as a massive homecoming for Lesnar. Consequently, hanging up his boots in front of the crowd that watched his athletic journey begin makes perfect narrative sense.
When Will The Beast Drop His Last Match?
Meltzer did suggest that this weekend’s match against Oba Femi could be Brock Lesnar’s last match, with the caveat being that this would be his “last match” until the next time he decides to return to the ring. The Observer founder also noted that WWE has used the term “retired” extremely loosely in this whole storyline.
“He is retired because they are using the word, but he’s obviously not retired because he’s wrestling on this one,” Meltzer explained. “I would presume this is his last match until SummerSlam, but it’s not his last match.”
Of course, Brock Lesnar seemingly retired at WrestleMania 42, leaving his boots and gloves in the ring after losing to Oba. While Lesnar himself never outright announced his retirement, the WWE commentary team alluded to Brock having retired. Subsequent WWE programming leaned into Brock having retired, and Raw General Manager Adam Pearce also said that he’d filed retirement papers for the ten-time World Champion.
Who is Waiting for Lesnar at SummerSlam?
Interestingly, last December saw John Cena, in an interview with Chris Van Vliet, suggest that Brock Lesnar would be retiring at SummerSlam 2026, and it appears that may well be the case.
If SummerSlam is truly it for the former UFC Heavyweight Champion, it then opens up the question of who he’ll be facing at U.S. Bank Stadium over the weekend of August 1st and 2nd.
| Potential Opponent | Storyline Narrative | Anticipation Level |
| Oba Femi | A blockbuster Trilogy match if Lesnar wins in Italy | High |
| Gunther | The highly anticipated, long-rumored dream match | Massive |
| Cody Rhodes | Running back their classic rivalry for a final farewell | Medium |
Could we possibly get Lesnar vs. Femi III? Could we see the long-rumored Lesnar vs. Gunther bout? Or is there something else entirely in play when WWE’s Biggest Party of the Summer rolls around?