Brock Lesnar walks out of WWE SmackDown following Vince McMahon retirement

Brock Lesnar walked out of SmackDown prior to tonight’s broadcast.

Bryan Alvarez reported Friday afternoon that Lesnar left as soon as word got out that Vince McMahon had announced his retirement from WWE. Alvarez reported that the line Lesnar gave was derivative of “If he’s gone, I’m gone”.

Alvarez additionally reported that there is a replacement in place for Lesnar in the event he misses SummerSlam, “but obviously they’re trying to get him to come back”.

Lesnar was advertised for Friday’s SmackDown, which takes place at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. He is currently scheduled to face Roman Reigns at SummerSlam on July 30 in Nashville, Tennessee in a last man standing match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

It was announced Friday afternoon that McMahon, 77, is retiring from his roles as Chairman and CEO of WWE, as well as his creative roles. McMahon is currently under investigation by WWE’s Board of Directors over misconduct allegations following reports of a $3 million hush money pact he agreed to give a former employee who he allegedly had an affair with. The Wall Street Journal first reported the story, then wrote a follow-up that alleged McMahon had agreed to pay $12 million to four women over the past 16 years in order to “suppress allegations of sexual misconduct and infedelity.”

Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have been named co-CEOs of WWE moving forward.