Retire in WWE: When the Clock is ticking
'Every single morning, i look myself in the mirror and ask myself the question...
What if this is it?'
A question that Christian asked himself in August 2013. Just a few months he was forced to retire due to multiple concussions. This shows: It can happen to everyone and in WWE right now there are several superstars that have had their career, but that have had great career, but the clock is ticking. The question is: How long will their bodies still keep up until they crumble or will they retire on their own terms?
Talent that is closer to in-ring retirement that seems to be close to retirement includes:
- Big Show (currently out due to injury, has won every title imaginable, active since 1995)
- Chris Jericho (currently focusing on his music career, one if the biggest stars of the 90s and 00s, active since 1990)
- Goldust (longest active full-time wrestler in WWE, the Benjamin Button of WWE, active since 1988)
- Jeff Hardy (current United States Champion, had his first match in WWE with 16 years old, active since 1993)
- John Cena (currently focusing on his acting career, the face of the company until 2017, active since 1999)
- Kane (currently focusing on his politcal career, one of biggest stars of the Attiude Era, active since 1992)
- Kurt Angle (the current General Manager of RAW, only olympic gold-medalist in professional wrestling history and WWE Hall of Famer, active since 1998)
- Matt Hardy (one half of the current RAW Tag Team Champions, made tag team history with his brother Jeff, active since 1992)
- Mickie James (currently wrestling on RAW, 7-time Womens Champion, active since 1999)
- Natalya (set to compete in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, former Divas and Womens Champion, active since 2000)
- R-truth (currently inactive due to unknown reason, former Tag Team and United States Champion, active since 1997)
- Randy Orton (currently inactive due to injury, most succesful third-generation superstar of all time, active since 2000)
- Rhyno (currently in a Tag Team with Heath Slater, last Original ECW Champion, first ever SmackDown Tag Team Champion, active since 1994)
- Shelton Benjamin (currently a singles wrestler on SmackDown, former US and IC Champion, active since 2000)
- Triple H (mastermind behind NXT, Vice President of Talent relations, one of the biggest stars of the Attitude Era and beyond, active since 1992, usually wrestles once of twice a year)
- The Undertaker (the phenom of WWE, one of the biggest wrestling stars of all time, active since 1984, usually wrestles once or twice a year)
I tried to focus on people that achieved a lot in this business/the WWE but still are active members of the roster. There are people like Daniel Bryan (who came out of retirement) or Samoe Joe also active for very long time already, but i believe they are far FAR away from their retirement from the ring currently as WWE are still heavily investing in them.
All of these ladies and gentlemen should have danced around that faithful question by now. But it is had to say good-bye to a business that you love. Look at Bubba Ray Dudley: Injuries are adding up to him and his 'brother' Devon is already retired, enjoying his life as a WWE producer, but he till is fighting in RoH to be involved. Others never quit either, like Dory or Terry Funk who are among the oldest active pro-wrestlers right now. They just can't hang up their boots.
Especially in WWE, the younger generation is pushing and pushing and pushing and it is very hard to maintain your position as a veteran right now. Only the Hardy Boyz are currently featured weekly on WWE TV.
In my opinion most of WWE's veterans could go on forever, but the fact is, they can't.
But how do you retire?
There can be the right way:
Edge, Shawn Michaels or Ric Flair got a fantastic final match, a last momet to shine, a speach to say good-bye and their induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
People like Christian, Mark Henry (who now actually got his Hall of Fame induction) or Booker T just vanished away, they did not even get a speech, which i believe is vary unfortunate. Legends like them and those who are still wrestling WWE should get a nice send-off to close that chapter for them and for everyone. If they don't it feels like there is something left to do until. Sometiems you don't even get to know if they are actually retired. I took years for Christian/WWE to reveal his status.
Since Goldust is the longest active full-time wrestler in WWE is seems like he is next in line, but how would WWE handle his retirement? There should be one epic final match, hopefully against the Velveteen Dream and the speech we have all been waiting for since he came back to the WWE in 2013.
To retirement, especially due to injury, is the hardest thing to do for any wrestler and we can only hope that WWE does it the right way for everyone.
What are your thought on potential retirements in WWE and how they should be handled? Tweet me @Walu2go
