Wrestling in Saudi Arabia, multiple fake goodbyes - 4 WWE Superstars who shouldn't have come out of retirement
When it comes to pro wrestling and WWE, retirements hold significant value. No one likes to see their favorite performers call it a day and ride off into the sunset. However, time catching up with them is inevitable and something fans must accept will come sooner or later.
Throughout WWE history, however, we have seen some fickle retirements. Wrestlers have ended their careers and then come back for a variety of reasons. Some of these moments turn out to be great, like Stone Cold Steve Austin returning to silence Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38. Other times, however, the return struggles to match the magic of the retirement.
On that note, we look at four WWE Superstars who shouldn't have come out of retirement.
#4. On our list of WWE Superstars who should have stayed retired: Terry Funk
Terry Funk has come out of retirement more times than some superstars have won titles. Many fans have argued that it tarnished the importance of his multiple retirements to a certain extent, and the fact that they were all short-lived just made it worse.
Funk had an illustrious career spanning more than five decades. He wrestled from 1965 and finally stopped in 2017. His first retirement came in 1997, and they continued to come in brief tenures until his last one.
The Indiana-born star is a hardcore legend and former NWA World Heavyweight Champion; his legacy was cemented a long, long time ago, and many fans probably wished he retired much sooner.
#3. Mick Foley
Mick Foley was another Terry Funk, in that he has retired several times, only to return after some time away. Even if you factor in his various alter-egos, he should have stayed retired on a high after his fantastic Hell in a Cell match against Triple H.
The match happened at No Way Out 2000, which carried a stipulation that if Foley failed to win the world title from HHH, he would have to retire. Wrestling as Cactus Jack, he battered his rival, but ultimately failed to take the win and subsequently retired.
It was an iconic sendoff that arguably lost some of its shine when he came back a couple of months later. He retired after WrestleMania, but kept on going until his final retirement in 2012. Deep down, some fans wish the hardcore legend went out in a blaze of glory after that iconic match against The Game.
#2. Bret Hart
Bret Hart and WWE had a troubled relationship for a long time, and for good reason too. The Montreal Screwjob saw him leave the company on terrible terms. It also saw the Canadian star join rival promotion World Championship Wrestling.
The Hitman's tenure at WCW was not very memorable, to say the least. Throughout his run with the Georgia-based company, Hart had a lackluster rivalry with several stars, one of them being Goldberg. During a particular match with Goldberg at Starrcade 1999, the former WWE Champion was hit with a hard kick to the head that put him down on the canvas. The strike gave Hart a serious concussion, which inevitably led to his retirement in 2000.
Interestingly enough, Hart did end up returning to professional wrestling and he did so with Vince McMahon's company in 2010.
While it was nice to see him bury the hatchet, stepping into the ring was a different affair. Him beating Vince McMahon up at WrestleMania was fun, but if we are being honest, his career was iconic enough without it.
#1. Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels got one of the most legendary sendoffs in wrestling history. In a classic against The Undertaker, he put his WWE career on the line and had to give it up after losing to him at WrestleMania XXVI.
For a long time, Michaels honored his retirement and never stepped foot in the ring. However, when WWE came calling in 2018 for him to wrestle in Saudi Arabia alongside DX teammate Triple H, HBK agreed. The duo faced The Brothers of Destruction in a tag team match that was largely forgettable.
The Heartbreak Kid broke some hearts when he shunned his retirement and returned to the ring. He looked decent in the ring in Saudi Arabia, but the magic of his retirement arguably wore off a bit.
Who are some other superstars who you think shouldn't have come out of retirement? Sound off in the comments below.