Brock Lesnar Reveals Origins of Iconic Chest Tattoo

WWE Superstar admits he was "s**tface drunk" when getting the large sword tattoo.

Mar. 25, 2026 at 10:06am

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In a recent interview, WWE Superstar Brock Lesnar discussed the origins of his iconic chest tattoo - a large sword that runs from the middle of his chest to halfway down his abs. Lesnar revealed he got the tattoo while training for the NFL and after being involved in a motorcycle accident, admitting he was "s**tface drunk" at a tattoo shop in Scottsdale, Arizona when he got the permanent ink. Despite initially not knowing he had gotten the tattoo, Lesnar said the meaning behind it was that he felt his "back was against the wall" at the time.

Why it matters

Lesnar's chest tattoo has become a signature part of his WWE persona over the years, with the large sword design being one of the most recognizable tattoos in professional wrestling. His candid admission about the drunken circumstances surrounding getting the tattoo provides an interesting backstory to this iconic piece of body art.

The details

According to Lesnar, he was going through a difficult period in his life, having just been "kicked down hard" and involved in a motorcycle accident, when he stumbled into a tattoo shop across the street from a biker bar in Scottsdale, Arizona. In a drunken state, he decided to get the large sword tattoo on his chest, later waking up the next day unsure of how he had acquired the new ink. Lesnar explained the meaning behind the tattoo was that he felt his "back was against the wall" at the time.

  • In 2026, during Brock Lesnar's training for the NFL.
  • After Lesnar was involved in a motorcycle accident.

The players

Brock Lesnar

A WWE Superstar known for his iconic chest tattoo of a large sword.

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What they’re saying

“I was just kicked down hard. I was going through all that stuff, and there was a tattoo shop across the street from the biker bar. That's not a good place to have a tattoo shop. I got this tattoo, I didn't even know know I got the d**n thing; I wake up the next day and I'm like, What in the [expletive] is this thing?”

— Brock Lesnar, WWE Superstar

“The meaning behind it was, I felt like my back was against the wall, and somebody had a sword, a knife stuck to my throat, like, What are you gonna do now? I walked over there [and] I said, 'Yeah, let's put a big a*s ugly sword on my chest,'”

— Brock Lesnar, WWE Superstar

What’s next

Lesnar's candid interview about the origins of his iconic chest tattoo has sparked renewed interest in the story behind this piece of his wrestling persona. Fans will likely continue to discuss and speculate about the meaning and significance of the large sword design that has become so closely associated with the WWE Superstar.

The takeaway

Brock Lesnar's confession about getting his famous chest tattoo while intoxicated serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of making sober decisions when it comes to permanent body modifications. However, the tattoo has since become an integral part of Lesnar's wrestling identity, demonstrating how even impulsive decisions can sometimes lead to iconic results.