Brock Lesnar made a surprise return to WWE Monday Night Raw on May 18 in Greensboro, North Carolina, attacking Oba Femi with four F-5s six weeks after his apparent retirement at WrestleMania 42.
Femi had come to the ring for his ongoing open challenge when Lesnar ambushed him mid-celebration, connecting with two consecutive F-5s before picking Femi up again and delivering two more. Lesnar then left the ring and walked up the aisle without speaking.
The return marks Lesnar’s first WWE television appearance since WrestleMania 42, where Femi defeated him in their first and only match. After the loss, Lesnar removed his gloves and boots and left them in the ring in what appeared to be a retirement gesture. He embraced Paul Heyman before exiting, and the imagery immediately fueled speculation that his in-ring career had ended.
The retirement question deepened on May 7 when WWE quietly moved Lesnar’s profile from the active roster section to the alumni section of WWE’s official website. That move, typically reserved for released or retired talent, led many to assume the retirement was official. However, PWInsider subsequently reported that Lesnar is still listed internally as an active WWE performer and is currently viewed as a free agent, as he has not been assigned to either Raw or SmackDown.
After the break, Paul Heyman confirmed to Adam Pearce that Lesnar is retired but he had papers in his hand that Brock already signed. If Oba Femi signs then it will be Oba vs. Brock rematch at Clash in Italy.