3 WWE Superstars who Deserved a Proper Send-off
Professional Wrestling careers, like life, aren't immortal. A Superstar has to hang up his boots at some point. What really matters is how a Superstar makes the most of the opportunity given to them. Some Superstars, through their immense hard-work, manage to make a place for themselves in the hearts of WWE Universe members. They remain relevant, long after their careers are over e.g, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Edge, Shawn Michaels etc.
A Superstar may leave either WWE, any other company or Professional Wrestling entirely due to several reasons. They may stop when the time is right. They may feel that they aren't being utilized properly or they have to stop due to suffering a career-ending injury. No matter what the reason is behind a Superstar's departure, it's important to acknowledge their contributions to the business.
When Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels retired after losing their matches at Wrestlemania 24 and Wrestlemania 26 respectively, they were given heart-wrenching farewells, the next night on Raw. After Sting had to retire due to suffering a career-ending injury during his match with Seth Rollins in 2015, he headlined the Hall of Fame class of 2016 where he discussed his career and retirement. That was basically a farewell speech, which he didn't get the chance to deliver earlier.
So the point is, no matter how a career ends, it's important that it gets the acknowledgment it deserves. A proper send-off is a must in wrapping up a decorated career. So, without wasting any more time, here are 3 WWE Superstars who deserved proper send-offs.
#3 Cody Rhodes:
Cody Rhodes made his main-roster debut in 2007. He debuted as a face and was immediately inserted into the Rhodes/Orton feud. After that, Cody began an alliance with Hardcore Holly and the duo ended up winning the World Tag Team Championships on Raw's 15th Anniversary special. Rhodes' career only progressed as time went by.
He turned on Hardcore Holly in 2008 to align with Ted Dibiase Jr. Rhodes and Dibiase then aligned themselves with Randy Orton by the end of the year to form "The Legacy", one of the most intriguing heel trios.
After The Legacy fell apart, Rhodes had an impressive run as a singles Superstar where he tried out different gimmicks and won the Intercontinental Championship on different occasions. After that, he was involved in a Rhodes/Authority feud during which he went on to win the Tag Titles once again, this time with his real-life half-brother Goldust. However, once they lost the titles to The New Age Outlaws, Rhodes' downfall began. He debuted the "Stardust" gimmick which lasted nearly 2 years.
Eventually, Rhodes got upset about the lack of direction his character had for over a year. He requested to be released from his WWE contract in May 2016 and was immediately granted his release, his last match being against Zack Ryder on an episode of WWE Superstars. Now, if the rumors of a new Wrestling promotion are true and also considering the success he has achieved in the Independent Circuit, don't expect Cody to return to WWE in the near future, or ever. As much as Cody did for the company for nearly 10 years, he deserved to go out with a bang!