Brock Lesnar Reportedly Walks Out of SmackDown Over Vince McMahon’s Retirement [Update]

UPDATE

Following the end of the 6-Man Tag Team match between The Usos & Theory vs. Street Profits & Madcap Moss, Brock Lesnar made a surprise appearance.

Lesnar interrupted Theory’s post-match attack on Moss and delivered his own beating to Theory which ended with Lesnar hitting a F-5 to Theory on Theory’s Money in the Bank briefcase to close out the show.

The Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez reported that WWE officials held talks with Lesnar following his walkout and had managed to convince him to return in time for tonight’s show.

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Former WWE CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon announced today that he has officially retired from WWE.

The Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez reported that his sources stated that Brock Lesnar walked out of his scheduled appearance for tonight’s SmackDown show following McMahon’s retirement announcement. Those same sources stated that Lesnar informed WWE officials that “If he’s gone, I’m gone” and left the venue shortly afterwards.

Brock’s line was some derivative of, “If he’s gone, I’m gone.”

— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) July 22, 2022

Fightful Select reported that their sources confirmed Alvarez’s report being true and stated that Lesnar was “pissed off” after learning of McMahon’s departure from the company. WWE officials reportedly had planned for tonight’s SmackDown show to heavily revolve around Lesnar as part of the build for his scheduled Last Man Standing match against Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship at next week’s SummerSlam 2022 event.

Lesnar’s status for WWE’s upcoming SummerSlam 2022 event and future in WWE is currently not known.