Brock Lesnar's retirement remains uncertain ahead of SummerSlam match

Cageside Seats3 min read • Latest: Jul 31, 2026, 5:00 AM

Last updated Jul 31, 2026

Brock Lesnar's retirement remains uncertain ahead of SummerSlam match
Summary

Brock Lesnar's potential retirement from WWE is under speculation before his match at SummerSlam in Minnesota. Reports indicate that regardless of the outcome against Oba Femi in a Hell in a Cell match, WWE personnel believe Lesnar is likely to continue wrestling, possibly returning for WrestleMania 43. Other rumors suggest that WWE creative favors wrestlers such as CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Chad Gable in their respective SummerSlam matches. Additionally, Jesse Ventura has been invited to attend the event. Meanwhile, in AEW, concerns were raised about the treatment of Persephone, while changes are planned for Mercedes Mone's title match against Willow Nightingale.

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Status Watch
  • Brock Lesnar's match at SummerSlam could determine his retirement plans.
  • WWE expects Lesnar to return after a break for major events.
  • WWE creative leans toward wins for Punk, Reigns, and Gable at SummerSlam.
  • Jesse Ventura is invited to SummerSlam, possibly for a pre-show appearance.
  • Concerns grow over how Persephone is booked in AEW matches.
Latest Updates
  • 5:00 AMCageside SeatsRumor Roundup (July 31, 2026): Brock Lesnar retirement, WWE baffled by AEW, Mercedes Moné plan, more!
What they're saying
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Is Brock Lesnar retiring from WWE for real this time after his match on Saturday night at SummerSlam? Let’s see what today’s rumors have to say about it! Top rumor of the day: Brock Lesnar’s WWE retirement Ever since Brock Lesnar faked his WWE retirement at WrestleMania 42, there has been a lot of speculation that the plan all along was for Brock’s final career match to actually take place this weekend at SummerSlam, in his home state of Minnesota. Well, don’t get your hopes up about Oba Femi getting the ultimate rub of being the guy who kicked Lesnar’s 49-year-old ass into permanent retirement. According to WrestleVotes Radio, regardless of the outcome of Brock’s Hell in a Cell match against Femi at SummerSlam, people in WWE believe that Lesnar isn’t done in the ring. The internal expectation seems to be that Brock will do the typical thing that Brock always does, which is disappear for a while only to return for a huge payday at a major WWE show, like one in Saudi Arabia. That’s where WrestleMania 43 takes place next year, after all. The rest of the rumors! WrestleVotes mentioned that WWE originally planned for Solo Sikoa’s babyface turn to only last for a short period of time. However, given the way he is getting over with the live audience, there is backstage talk that he might get an extended run in this role. One person in WWE said Sikoa is legitimately one of the funniest people backstage, and they are glad he’s getting a chance to show it. Per Votes, it sounds like WWE creative is favoring the following wrestlers to win their respective matches at SummerSlam: CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Oba Femi, Chad Gable, Trick Williams, and GUNTHER. Two matches where WWE creative is still going back and forth on the winner are Finn Balor vs. Sami Zayn, and the interim WWE women’s championship ladder match. The outlet also claims that WWE has invited Hall of Famer Jesse Ventura to attend SummerSlam in his home state of Minnesota, and has even talked about putting him on camera during the pre-show. Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez heard from people in WWE who are “baffled” by the way Tony Khan books Persephone to lose so much in AEW: “What’s this guy doing? She’s got so much potential. If her deal comes due, WWE is gonna want her instantly. Meanwhile, all she does is show up [on AEW TV] and do jobs as the CMLL women’s champion.” Alvarez also says Tony Khan’s original plan for All In London was Mercedes Mone defending the AEW women’s world title against Willow Nightingale. There were “a lot of things that almost spoiled his plan,” but he “switched everything around” to make sure he got back to Nightingale vs. Mercedes at Wembley Stadium, now with Willow as the defending champion. Discuss these rumors in the comments below, and share your takes on any topic in The Feed!

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