Brock Lesnar, John Cena & More: 5 WWE Superstars Who Retired in the Last Year
Folks, on April 19, 2026, the young star Oba Femi beat the legendary Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42. The most shocking moment happened when Lesnar left his boots and gloves right in the middle of the ring. This “Beast” showed everyone that he might finally be done. It was truly a night to remember.
Lesnar is not the only hero leaving! Many legends are hanging up their boots lately. John Cena finished his final tour in December 2025. AJ Styles also retired in early 2026. Even Adam Copeland is dropping hints about his future right now. Why are all our favorites saying goodbye? Stick around to see which superstar is next to leave the ring!
Brock Lesnar Leaves His Gear in the Ring
What a shocker we saw at WrestleMania 42! On April 19, 2026, the young powerhouse Oba Femi defeated the legendary Brock Lesnar. This match was short but very wild. The most amazing tactical moment happened after the final bell. Lesnar sat down and took off his wrestling boots and his MMA gloves. He left them right in the middle of the ring!
The fans in Las Vegas cheered loudly and chanted “Thank you, Brock”. Lesnar then gave a big hug to his long-time friend, Paul Heyman. Many people think this means “The Beast” is finally retiring from the ring. However, expert commentator Dave Meltzer says some people in WWE think he might wrestle one more time this year. Brock Lesnar first started in WWE in 2002, and he has been a dominant force for a long time.
John Cena Versus Brock Lesnar Career Stats
We cannot talk about Lesnar without mentioning his greatest rival, John Cena. Cena also finished his amazing career recently. He had a huge farewell tour that ended on December 13, 2025. In his last match, he fought Gunther and lost after tapping out to a sleeper hold.
Head-to-Head Stats
Here are the head-to-head stats for these two icons in their big singles matches:
- Total Singles Matches: 7.
- Brock Lesnar Wins: 5.
- John Cena Wins: 2.
- World Titles for Cena: 17.
- World Titles for Lesnar: Multiple-time champion in WWE and UFC.
Player Impact
John Cena showed great player impact by winning the Intercontinental title during his final tour to become a Grand Slam champion. Even though they were rivals, Cena called a segment at WrestleMania 42 one of his favorite moments ever.
AJ Styles and the Legend of Gunther
Another hero left us recently. AJ Styles retired at the Royal Rumble in January 2026. He lost a high-stakes match to Gunther. Because of the match rules, Styles had to hang up his boots for good. Gunther is now known as the “Career Killer” because he beat Cena, Styles, and Goldberg in their final matches. Styles is now helping WWE behind the scenes in a new role.
Adam Copeland and New Roster Changes
Over in AEW, Adam Copeland dropped a huge bombshell before the Dynasty 2026 event. He said he wants his final match to be different. His unique insight is that he wants to retire as a “heel” or a bad guy. He wants to be dragged out of the building “kicking and screaming”. Commentator Jim Ross is very excited to see Copeland and Christian Cage chasing the tag team titles again.
WWE is also changing its roster quickly in 2026. Many people have left the company recently.
- Tommaso Ciampa: Released January 26, 2026.
- Ava (General Manager): Released January 30, 2026.
- Pat McAfee: Released April 19, 2026.
The wrestling world is changing fast! For more fan theories and live talk. Stick with us as we watch these legends walk into the sunset!
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