5 WWE Superstars who lost their jobs in a retirement match
The retirement match is one of the most famous stipulations in WWE. It lets an outgoing legend put over a rising star and secure the future of the promotion. A retirement match can be a graceful swansong for a performer, but wrestlers are notorious for not abiding by the stipulation and returning to the ring.
After an emotional farewell match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24, Ric Flair came out of retirement to work for Impact Wrestling. Michaels himself retired after losing to The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26, but he accepted a generous offer to join forces with Triple H to face The Brothers of Destruction at Crown Jewel 2018.
With that being said, here are five WWE Superstars who lost their jobs in a retirement match:
#5 Mick Foley vs Triple H (WWE No Way Out 2000)
While Mick Foley is known for his violent matches and excellent character work, an integral part of his legacy is helping to establish stars such as Triple H, The Rock, Randy Orton and Edge.
Triple H won the WWE Championship for the first time in 1999 and was presented as one of the company's top heels. However, the audience didn't take to him for a long time despite WWE's best efforts. Even after the elaborate angle where The Game married Stephanie McMahon and defeated Vince McMahon in a violent no-holds-barred match at Armageddon 1999, something just wasn't clicking.
It was only after his feud with Mick Foley that Triple H became a legitimate box-office attraction. Foley took on his legendary "Cactus Jack" persona and challenged Triple H for the WWE Championship in a street fight at Royal Rumble 2000. The two stars pushed each other to the limit and put on a match that received universal acclaim.
The feud came to an end after Foley lost a rematch at No Way Out 2000 with his career on the line. Although the Hardcore Legend eventually returned to in-ring competition, this retirement match massively benefited WWE as it elevated Triple H to a new level.