5 WWE Superstars who faked their own retirement
Retirement is extremely weird in WWE. The industry is all about telling a story, so what retiring is, in reality, is different from what it is in PRO wrestling. Several stars throughout the years have used retirement as a tool to craft a tale that intrigues fans.
Whether it be WWE or AEW, every wrestling company has had career-threatening matches with the results dictating the future of the individuals involved. Countless competitors have also questioned if their time was winding down and if they could return to the squared circle.
Many wrestling "retirement" announcements are just there to make a quick buck https://t.co/HyNUZGphh5
With so much history in this business, it seems that some of the biggest legends of the industry have either been in a career-threatening match or completely fooled the fans only to come back. In this article, let's take a look at five wrestlers who have faked their own retirement.
5) The legendary feud of Terry Funk vs. retirement
#OnThisDay in 1983: Terry Funk retires for the first time. Terry said one word over & over again in an emotional post-match speech "forever". https://t.co/uKqVxNwrMK
Terry Funk is an absolute legend with over 50 years in the business. The hardcore icon went through the territory era, NWA, ECW, and WWE. He has faced some of the very best wrestlers to step foot in the ring, from Ric Flair to Stone Cold Steve Austin.
When many fans think of Funk, they don't think about his legendary death matches against Cactus Jack or his memorable time as Chainsaw Charlie in WWE. They immediately brought up the many times the man had retired, only to return shortly after that.
Starting in 1983, Terry Funk made somewhat of a habit of cutting promos to retire from wrestling. The legend had put his body through it all to become a top star in the industry. The risks that Funk took are iconic in themselves, but they came with a price. He often believed that he would be wrapping up his career and other times he would get wrapped in the moment.
Whatever the reasoning, Terry Funk has to hold the record for fake retirements. Despite memorably retiring from Jim Crockett Promotions and Extreme Championship Wrestling, the middle-aged star wrestled on the independent scene until 2017. Here's hoping he gets healthy and returns to the wrestling business.