Paul Heyman On Shocking WWE Moment: “I Was Crying”

Paul Heyman recently spoke about a shocking WWE moment that left him emotional.

Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania 42 match against Oba Femi lasted four minutes and 42 seconds. Femi secured the victory with a chokeslam, followed by the fall from grace for a pinfall victory.

After the match, Lesnar removed his gloves and boots and left them in the center of the ring to signal his retirement. The Beast embraced Paul Heyman, and both men broke down in tears, while 50,000 fans inside Allegiant Stadium responded with a thunderous “Thank You Brock” chant.

Fightful reported that WWE officials did not expect Lesnar to retire in Las Vegas and had instead anticipated a formal retirement match at SummerSlam in Minneapolis, his hometown.

The decision was entirely Lesnar’s, made in the moment and communicated to no one in advance. WWE has since moved Lesnar to the alumni section of its website – the clearest official signal that his in-ring career with the company is treated as finished.

Now, Paul Heyman has spoken about the former WWE Universal Champion’s retirement and the emotional WrestleMania moment.

Paul Heyman had no idea Brock Lesnar was retiring at WrestleMania

Just days before WrestleMania 42, Heyman told TMZ that Lesnar intended to dominate professional wrestling for the next 15 years – a statement that now sits in complete contradiction to what unfolded at The Show of Shows.

Speaking to TMZ again after the event, Heyman was asked directly whether he knew The Beast Incarnate was planning to retire. His response was characteristically direct:

If I knew he was gonna retire, would I have gone on record saying he was gonna dominate for the next 15 years?? I was crying. Am I that good of an actor that I can cry on cue?? Not I,” The Oracle said. [H/T Fightful]

It will be interesting to see if Brock Lesnar returns for a match at SummerSlam 2026 in Minnesota.

Make TJR Wrestling your choice for news by clicking here.