Triple H Comments On Brock Lesnar's Apparent Retirement At WWE WrestleMania 42

In the opening match on the second night of WWE WrestleMania 42, Brock Lesnar seemingly retired from professional wrestling after losing to Oba Femi. While "The Ruler" walked back up the entrance ramp following his victory, Lesnar slowly began to take off his gloves and boots, signaling that he had just wrestled his final match before saluting the fans and thanking the audience in attendance for their support. In addition to fans not anticipating the retirement angle, WWE CCO Triple H stated during an interview with "ESPN" that he doesn't believe Lesnar planned to leave his gear in the ring and shared his thoughts on "The Beast" walking away from the sport.

"Brock is not a walk back through the curtain and have a long conversation guy. Brock has to walk back through the curtain very angry and go to his bus and that is the end of it. So there was not a discussion had after. I will say this, probably the most famous combat sport athlete of our generation. One of a kind. Nobody like Brock Lesnar. But the one thing that nobody gives him credit for is the intelligence of a fighter ... There comes a point in time when somebody comes along that's bigger and better and just pushes you to a place that you can't come back from. The smart ones know when that happens and they call it a day. I don't think that was a planned thing."

Triple H continued to explain that he doesn't believe Lesnar is afraid to continue wrestling, but rather smart enough to realize that his time has come to an end as a performer. That said, there's always room for one more match in WWE, and the company's recent booking could suggest that Lesnar is coming back.

Although the events that followed the match last night could imply that Lesnar's entering retirement, there's a few key factors at play that I believe indicate WrestleMania was not the last time fans will see the 48-year-old.

Firstly, Lesnar's actions could've been a way to turn him babyface going into a retirement run, and considering who is final opponent might be, it would be more fitting for him to close the final chapter of his career as a hero. Two weeks ago, former World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER informed Paul Heyman that he's owed a favor after he saved him from an irate Seth Rollins, who had just been medically cleared. The interaction between both characters was brief, but it was enough to tease a potential match with Lesnar, and with GUNTHER having become the "Career Killer" over the past year by putting Goldberg, John Cena and AJ Styles into retirement, "The Conqueror" could be the next name to join the list.

Additionally, this upcoming August, WWE's second biggest Premium Live Event of the year SummerSlam will take place in Lesnar's hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, which would be the ideal destination for him to hang up his boots. Therefore, with the seeds already being planted for a match against GUNTHER, and one of WWE's most high profile events occurring in his backyard this summer, I don't believe that Lesnar has completely called it quits. After all, many other legends in wrestling have returned after teasing retirement, and Lesnar could possibly be no different.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "ESPN" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.