• Big Change Made To Brock Lesnar’s WWE Status
Brock Lesnar lost to Oba Femi in the opening match of WrestleMania 42 – Night 2 and then signaled his retirement by leaving his gloves and boots in the center of the ring.
In the weeks since WrestleMania, WWE has leaned heavily into the retirement narrative through social media posts as well as comments from Paul Heyman on TV and Triple H during media appearances.
A major update has now been made to Lesnar’s status. The Beast Incarnate has been moved from the active Superstars section to the Alumni section on WWE’s official website.
Below is a screenshot from the Alumni section:
The Alumni section typically features wrestlers who have either left the company or retired.
While this move strongly suggests WWE is acknowledging Lesnar’s retirement following WrestleMania, there is growing speculation that The Beast could still return for one final match against GUNTHER at SummerSlam this year, which is taking place in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• Update On When The Next SmackDown Debut Will Take Place
Blake Monroe’s NXT career came to an end during the second week of the Revenge special, where she lost a Casket match against Women’s North American Champion Tatum Paxley.
Her promotion to the main roster and call-up to SmackDown was officially announced after WrestleMania 42. WWE also promoted her upcoming debut last week, but she has yet to appear on the show.
According to PWInsider, Blake Monroe is expected to start appearing on the blue brand by the end of this month, though those plans could still change depending on creative decisions.
• Surprises Teased For WWE Backlash
The 2026 Backlash Premium Live Event is just three days away. It will take place at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, and will be the first PLE following WrestleMania 42.
During an appearance on ESPN Get Up, WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman was asked what fans can expect from this Saturday’s show. Heyman hinted at surprises and told viewers to prepare for the unexpected.
“Expect to see the unexpected, because in WWE, surprises are the norm.”
When discussing the upcoming bout between Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker, Heyman added:
“What can you expect to see from Bron Breakker and Seth Rollins? You can see Bron Breakker be the most physical athlete in WWE since the retirement of Brock Lesnar.”
Below is the match-card for Backlash:
– World Heavyweight Championship Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
– Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker
– United States Championship Match: Trick Williams (c) vs. Sami Zayn
– Asuka vs. IYO SKY
– Danhausen and Mystery Partner vs. The Miz and Kit Wilson
