5 WWE retirements that were real and 5 that were part of a storyline
The industry of sports entertainment thrives on blurring the line between kayfabe and reality. Throughout the history of WWE, we've seen numerous angles and segments that made the fans scratch their heads as to whether they were for real or just to progress a storyline.
One great example of the same is WWE retirements. The connection between WWE Superstars and their fans is so deep that one can't help but feel the emotion when they come out to the ring to bid farewell to everyone and hang up their boots. But at the same time, there have been numerous instances where WWE Superstars tricked everyone into believing that they are done from in-ring competition, only to later reveal it all to be a deception.
So, let's take a look at five WWE retirements that were real and 5 that were a part of a storyline. Be sure to let us know your reactions to all of them in the comments section below.
#5 Storyline: Rey Mysterio's WWE retirement ceremony
The most recent entry into the list is Rey Mysterio's WWE retirement ceremony on Monday Night RAW. The Master of the 619 was viciously attacked by Seth Rollins on the RAW after Money in the Bank 2020. The Monday Night Messiah went on to shove Mysterio's eye on the corner of the steel steps.
After Mysterio's absence from WWE programming for the next couple of weeks, Seth Rollins declared his gruesome act as a "sacrifice" that he had to make for the greater good of Monday Night RAW. This led to WWE announcing a retirement ceremony for Rey Mysterio with Seth Rollins as the special host.
It turned out that the entire thing was a ploy from Seth Rollins who came out to announce Mysterio's retirement for him. Later in the night, Rey Mysterio appeared on-screen and mentioned that he wasn't chosen by any higher power for sacrifice but that Rollins made a clear decision to try and blind him! Later, his son Dominick hinted at his intentions of coming after Rollins for what he did to his father.