5 WWE Superstars who are surprisingly yet to officially retire
Vince McMahon's retirement from WWE last month at the age of 76 was the biggest news in professional wrestling for many years.
Ric Flair later bowed out of the sport with what was declared to be his final match this past weekend at Starrcade, which has left many fans wondering who could have their "last match" next.
Legends like The Undertaker and Batista have already said their farewells to the ring, but there are several other current and former superstars who many believe to have retired but are surprisingly yet to make it official.
#5. WWE Hall of Famer Booker T
1998 v. 2022. https://t.co/o6XS0HP5QD
Former world champion Booker T hasn't wrestled for WWE since 2012 but surprisingly has continued to wrestle outside the company. Booker T has been inducted into the Hall of Fame twice and still makes regular appearances on WWE TV as a panelist.
The star wrestles on the Independent Circuit and was just recently part of a match for Reality of Wrestling where he wrestled in an eight-man tag team match. Despite remaining in incredible shape, Booker has already turned down the opportunity to have a "last match" in the style of Ric Flair at Starrcast.
The former Champion recently noted that he doesn't ever want to have a final match, which could be why he is still yet to announce his retirement.
"I was approached actually to have a final match next year at Starrcast. Harlem Heat’s final match, here in Texas. I said ‘Hell no. We ain’t doing none of that.’ I just had a match a couple of weeks ago, my knee was killing me. I can only imagine what it’s going to feel like next year. Y’all can forget about seeing me do one last match. The thing is, I’m still working, I’m still having matches. You’re just never going to see me have a ‘last match.’ You’re never going to see me doing a lot in the ring. I’m never going to build up a match like I’m doing a whole lot. ‘One tag in, one tag out. That’s it, I’m done, where’s my check?'.” via WrestlingInc.
#4. Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler
Legend Jerry Lawler and fellow immortal William Shatner flaunt their youthful appearance. Shatner is 91 and Lawler is 72. June 30, 2022. Photo: Jerry Lawler #wwe #wrestling #indy #oldschool https://t.co/t67aeB5hW9
Jerry "The King" Lawer isn't quite 77 years old like former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, but at the tender age of 72, the Hall of Famer is still wrestling regular matches on the Independent Circuit.
Lawler's last match came back in June when he defeated Simon Sez at the USA Pro Wrestle War 2022 in a Kiss My Foot match. He has wrestled five matches so far in 2022 losing just one when he teamed up with Big Nasty back in May. Lawler regularly makes appearances on WWE TV as one of their pre-show panelists, and famously had a heart attack on live TV back in 2016, but it appears that hasn't forced him to slow down.
Lawler made his debut back in 1970 and is now one of only a handful of wrestlers to have actively competed over five different decades.
#3. WWE Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie McMahon recently took over the reins of her father's company following his retirement and this year she was forced to watch her husband Triple H step down from his role as The Game on WWE TV as well.
Stephanie is a former Women's Champion in her own right and has wrestled in several matches whilst being seen as an authority figure for the company. McMahon's last match came back at WrestleMania 34 in 2018 when she came up short against Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle in a mixed tag team match alongside her husband.
Given her new role as Co-CEO, it is likely that McMahon's in-ring career has come to an end, but it is worth noting that she is yet to officially announce her retirement from active competition.
Stephanie did give an update back in 2018 on her future in the ring, where she appeared to tease retirement.
"Well, no one’s boots are ever officially hung up. But that being said, Ronda put me in my place about four years ago, so I highly doubt I would make a return to the ring unless it were exactly the perfect right thing that everyone needed me to do," via Sportskeeda.
#2. Current WWE Superstar Titus O'Neil
Titus O'Neil is still a contracted WWE Superstar, but he hasn't wrestled a match since 2020. The former Tag Team Champion has become a Global Ambassador for the company in recent years and has thrown himself into his new role.
Whilst many fans believed that O'Neil had quietly hung up his wrestling boots for good, the star gave an update on his in-ring career as part of a recent interview with Fightful.
"I'm not retired. I haven't wrestled in a minute but I had a procedure done on my knees that I'm rehabbing. A lot of people don't know that so they just assumed that I've been retired, but I'm a global ambassador for the company. I'm in Saudi Arabia and everywhere else, so that should show somebody that I'm not retired and I'm still with the company. I'm doing a lot of stuff," via Fightful.
#1. Former WWE Superstar Gangrel
Just catching up with Rampage, so fun to see @gangrel13 and the cosplay 😂
#Gangrel #YoungBucks #HardyBoyz #AEW #AEWRampage #AEWDoN #AEWDoubleOrNothing #AllEliteWrestling #wrestling #WrestlingCommunity #WrestlingTwitter #FITE #ForTheLoveofWrestling https://t.co/1Qn7ZLUyLV
Gangrel is best remembered for being one-third of The Brood on WWE TV but was released by the company back in 2001. The star returned in 2004 and reunited with Viscera before later making a move over to ECW. Since his second release in 2007, Gangrel has continued to wrestle on the Independent circuit and made his debut for AEW earlier this year.
At the age of 53, the former star continues to wrestle regularly with his last match coming on July 16th where he was able to pick up a win over Jake Goldberg at CCW Breakout 14.
Gangrel recently made headlines when the WWE Universe believed that Edge could be set to make his return alongside his former partner following several creepy vignettes that appeared to tease a Brood reunion.