On Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, Brock Lesnar with Paul Heyman issued an open challenge for WrestleMania 42. On the latest edition of Monday Night RAW, Lesnar appeared in front of the live crowd after an absence of several weeks.
Reuniting with Heyman, “The Beast Incarnate” claimed that nobody in the RAW locker room was man enough to challenge Lesnar. Heyman further proceeded to reveal Lesnar's schedule before WrestleMania 42 and issued an open challenge, demanding opponents for the veteran. Lesnar is now scheduled to appear on Mar. 16, 23, and 30 and on Apr. 6 and 13, ahead of WrestleMania 42.
Lesnar's last WrestleMania dates back to the 39th edition, where he faced and defeated Omos. Back to WWE after a span of almost 2-3 years, he now looks forward to getting inside the squared circle against another competent opponent.
We at Clutchpoints have come up with three WWE Superstars who should answer Lesnar's WrestleMania 42 open challenge.
1. LA Knight
Once reported and speculated online, LA Knight is one of the favorites to get in the ring against Lesnar at WrestleMania 42. While Knight was actively feuding against The Vision, all members of the faction have now been ruled out with injury.
While Rollins recovers from his shoulder injury, Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed have now been ruled out with a hernia and bicep tear injuries. With The Vision no longer his concern, Knight could step up and answer Lesnar's challenge.
“The Megastar” has long been waiting to get involved in a main-event level feud, and this could be his moment now. While heavily favored to win the 2026 Royal Rumble, WWE preferred to have Roman Reigns win that match over Knight.
Brock Lesnar is also heavily rumored to finish his career this year, and Knight could be the one to do so once he faces Lesnar in the ring. Speaking of finishing careers, WWE currently boasts one of the best “career killers” on their roster right now.
2. Gunther
In the last year, Gunther has successfully wrestled and retired the likes of Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles. Now earned the moniker of “career killer,” he could be one of the most appropriate choices to face Lesnar at WrestleMania 42.
Gunther has recently emerged as one of the most capable and trusted men on the WWE roster to put up big matches on bigger occasions. Already having a two-year losing streak at WrestleMania, this could finally be the year for Gunther to turn his fortunes around.
Defeating Lesnar at WrestleMania could not only bring his streak to an end but also push him to a similar level Lesnar enjoyed after defeating The Undertaker at WrestleMania 30. Answering and standing up to Lesnar at WrestleMania could be a vital career-turning moment for “The Career Killer.”
However, both Lesnar and Gunther are heels currently. One of the two Superstars needs to undergo a character change to build intrigue surrounding their feud and get fans more invested in their rivalry.
3. Oba Femi
A few years ago, at WrestleMania 39, Brock Lesnar took on Omos and defeated the giant in under five minutes. Could fans see a similar occurrence when Oba Femi answers Lesnar's WrestleMania 42 challenge?
Unlike Omos, Femi has been a pioneer of the NXT brand. A former NXT North American and NXT Champion, Femi last year relinquished his title last year, looking for bigger challenges. He soon jumped brands to the main roster.
With dominant performances against several main roster stars and at the Royal Rumble 2026, Femi is also one of the ideal opponents to answer Lesnar's open challenge. The rising NXT star could take on and defeat Lesnar for a rocket push in his career. Their tense moment from the Royal Rumble could also act as the seed to their upcoming WrestleMania feud, where the two powerhouses clash against each other.
Femi, 27, is still one of the rising names on the roster, and a face-off and win against Lesnar at WrestleMania could just be the start he deserves in WWE. Similar to all the other budding NXT graduates, Femi is hungry and looking for bigger challenges. While Breakker and Reed became a part of The Vision, Femi is currently a lone wolf on the hunt for his next challenge, which could very possibly be Lesnar.
