5 WWE Superstars who were true to their retirementÂ
Working in WWE is a job defined by time. At some point, a wrestler will be forced to hang up their boots and leave competing in the ring. This may happen to a performer at any age, ranging from their twenties to their sixties.
WWE loves its legends, retired superstars and Hall of Famers. Even though they may be done with the business, the age-old saying in wrestling 'anything can happen' can force out decisions that say otherwise. Over the years, the company has brought many retired superstars back from retirement for feuds and matches.
Two recent examples are Shawn Michaels and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. The former came out of retirement to fight alongside Triple H in Saudi Arabia, while the latter made a triumphant return to in-ring competition at WrestleMania 38.
However, for everyone who has come out of retirement, there have been a few who have stayed retired. On that note, here are five superstars who stayed true to their retirement.
#5. On our list of WWE Superstars who retired and stayed that way: Paige
This one breaks the hearts of wrestling fans even today. Paige suffered a freak injury to her neck at a house show match. It was deemed so serious that she had to announce her retirement from in-ring competition immediately.
What's tragic about this incident is that Paige wasn't even 30 at the time. WWE lost a top-tier performer at an incredibly young age. She has not made any wrestling appearances since, even though we all wish she could come back.
#4. JBL
John 'Bradshaw' Layfield is a WWE Superstar fans love to hate. However, that only goes to show how well he played his character over the years.
JBL retired after his infamous 21-second defeat to Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 25. Most superstars would look to avenge an embarrassing loss like that, but the former world champion was not one of them.
Although he technically entered the 2014 Royal Rumble match, he engaged with nobody and was eliminated in seconds. Therefore, he is someone who has stayed true to his retirement and never actively wrestled, instead choosing to focus on commentary and his business career.
#3. AJ Lee
AJ Lee's retirement was another sad day for fans of professional wrestling. She was a torchbearer for women's wrestling who couldn't finish her career on her own terms thanks to injury.
Lee's final WWE match was a six-woman tag team match on the RAW after WrestleMania 31. She announced her retirement soon after, stating that she had sustained permanent damage to her cervical spine, and that along with other personal reasons she retired.
The former Divas Champion has not returned to the ring after all these years despite requests from fans. However, she is still very much committed to the business, as evident by her role as executive producer of Women in Wrestling (WOW).
#2. Batista
Batista returned to WWE for a program with former Evolution partner Triple H at WrestleMania 35. A very intense feud saw the two men refuse to give an inch to one another, and their subsequent battle at the show lived up to the hype.
Batista lost the match to HHH and promptly announced his retirement from professional wrestling. He has honored the retirement so far, choosing to stay committed to his Hollywood projects and other ventures.
#1. Ric Flair
Okay, look. We are only considering the WWE landscape here, so Ric Flair's immediate deflection to TNA after his retirement has no place here. In Vince McMahon's World, he stayed retired for good after 'I'm sorry. I love you.'
Flair is a 16-time world champion and also someone who is true to his word. He got the perfect sendoff after his defeat to Michaels, with many WWE legends coming into the ring to congratulate him and wish him well. He has been involved in many feuds and angles over the years, but has never stepped into the ring to wrestle.