Santa Claus, Bigfoot & Wrestling Retirements

In this edition of The Wrestling Estate roundtable, we discuss wrestling retirements.

Do you buy retirement matches anymore?

Chad Gelfand: Now more than ever with how wrestlers are taking care of their bodies and the temptation of that one last big check always looming, it’s hard to buy the sincerity of retirement matches.

Steven Jackson: Retirement matches are strange beasts. I do buy into them, but like anything, people can quickly change their minds. It comes down to the personality of the individual and their relationship with the industry. For example, Steve Austin in 2003 made me believe more than Edge in 2011.

Juan Bautista: It depends who the wrestler and promotion is. I believe Justin Thunder Liger has wrestled his last match in New Japan. If it’s someone in WWE, I really don’t know how it will play out.

John Corrigan: Nope. I don’t believe wrestling retirements. Hell, I don’t believe anything in wrestling anymore. Jim Cornette is in cahoots with AEW, Brock Lesnar is a teddy bear and the Montreal Screwjob was a work!

Jack Goodwillie: We need to judge wrestling retirements on a case-by-case basis. First, we need to define retirement. Retirement from what? WWE? AEW? Pro wrestling? The workforce? Of course, the Terry Funks of the world have become a pro wrestling meme before memes were even called memes, but then the retirements of Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels come to mind. When Flair appeared in TNA as a wrestler, I hated it at first but came to understand it. He needed the money that badly. And when Shawn Michaels retired, I mean, sure he came back for Crown Jewel, but it’s not like he returned for any kind of run. He returned for a one-off monster payday on a show many fans don’t even believe is canon, anyway.

Then there are the wrestling retirements that are medical, where the power of choice is taken from the talent. Advancements in modern medicine necessitated the returns of Edge and Christian, as they now have the opportunity to go out on their own terms. Meanwhile, I actually do believe Kurt Angle, who had a legitimate retirement match, is done. So, while I know this roundtable is kind of based on Batista’s recent tweet about wrestling retirements, I really think you need to look at each retirement individually, as no two retirements are created equal.

Who has left pro wrestling in the best way possible?

Gelfand: As far as the perfect ending, Stone Cold finally losing to The Rock at WrestleMania XIX and actually staying retired is about as storybook an ending to a career as you can get.

Jackson: Had he not returned, Bryan Danielson had the best sendoff of any wrestler I’ve ever seen. His retirement speech was so appropriate and his integrity brought me to tears. But as he has returned to the ring, I’d say Steve Austin. Because he ended his in-ring career at WrestleMania and had a great match against The Rock and it was the true “end of an era.”

Bautista: Stone Cold Steve Austin. He left as the biggest star and arguably is even bigger than he was when he left. Steve Austin still gets the loudest pop in any building he enters and people want to see him. I will also say CM Punk. He left on his terms as one of the biggest stars in WWE and didn’t allow himself to be diminished.

Corrigan: Trish Stratus. She beat her best friend in front of her hometown and retired as the record-breaking Women’s Champion. Sure, she’s come back for the occasional match, but nothing that diminished her legacy.

Goodwillie: Ironically, I loved the way Batista went out. Doing the honors on your way out is somewhat of an unspoken tradition, and although he did them for Triple H of all people, the match actually made sense as a final sendoff for “The Animal.” The match could have been better, but I liked the build just fine, and that’s a good blueprint for how to do it. I’d also throw out Stone Cold Steve Austin as an elite wrestling retirement. Sure, there could have been more buzz around his WrestleMania XIX match with The Rock had we known it’d be his last, but hearing Austin’s story of the night leading into the match and how one of wrestling’s biggest stars managed to end his career as quietly as can be fascinates me to this day.

Who should have stayed retired?

Gelfand: Shawn Michaels. The match in Saudi Arabia was about as obvious a money grab as it could get and on top of it all the match was an abomination. An embarrassing end for one of the greatest of all time.

Jackson: Ric Flair. He had the biggest sendoff in wrestling history and tainted it by going to TNA. It left a bad taste in my mouth and it left WWE feeling bitter for a few years, as well.

Bautista: Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair and Undertaker. All three ruined their great sendoffs. Shawn Michaels was full of shit about not coming back. Ric Flair left everyone in tears because of his matches in TNA. Undertaker took everyone to dick kick city and retired on a documentary.

Corrigan: Batista totally didn’t need to face Triple H at WrestleMania 35. Aside from crashing Ric Flair’s birthday party, that storyline sucked.

Goodwillie: It’s key to note that while The Undertaker did overstay his welcome, he never actually ended a retirement to come out and have those matches with Goldberg and Triple H. My answer to this question is Sting. Prior to AEW Revolution 2021, I mentioned that Sting had multiple chances to take his chips and walk away from the table: when WCW folded in 2001 and when he left TNA in 2014. It appeared he actually tried to do so in 2015 after a match with Seth Rollins where he was severely injured. I get it. Sting loves to wrestle and Tony Khan opened his wallet, but what’s there to gain by Sting hanging on? The man is 61 years old, has been at it for more than half his life and holds 12 legitimate world championships between three different companies. His resume, body of work and contributions to wrestling are unquestioned. There is no reason for him to be out there at this point, and I say that as a fan.

Who quit wrestling too soon?

Gelfand: “The Alpha Male” Monty Brown. He quit wrestling for the admirable cause of raising his sister’s children after her passing, but he had it all as a wrestler. We only scratched the surface of the greatness of Monty Brown.

Jackson: Richie Steamboat, son of Ricky Steamboat. Richie caught my attention in FCW and he had all the tools needed to be an amazing wrestler in WWE. However, he got injured and then sensibly decided to retire. It is selfish on my part, but I wish Richie had given himself time and then came back because I’m sure he would have been huge in NXT and WWE.

Bautista: The Rock. It took years for him to get back in the ring and it wasn’t even full time. He missed those key years (2005-2007) where a lot of dream matches could’ve happened.

Corrigan: Monty Brown. He could have been a huge star in WWE.

Goodwillie: I would have said Christian Cage, but alas, I’m gonna go with Nigel McGuinness. At the time of his retirement, Nigel was a can’t-miss star in TNA who had all the tools it takes to be a global superstar in pro wrestling: size, charisma, in-ring ability and originality on the microphone. I know his retirement was more of a medical one than by choice, but I’m not sure if he’ll ever get his proper due as one of wrestling’s greatest “what-ifs” and I’d love to see an alternate universe where he doesn’t walk away. On a side note, I respect the hell out of Doug Williams for his reasoning for ending his retirement.

Who would you pay money to see wrestle one more match?

Gelfand: Monty Brown. Keith Lee vs. Monty Brown might cause a tear in the space time continuum if they both hit Pounces on each other at the same time.

Jackson: Nigel McGuinness. Book him against Bryan Danielson at WrestleMania and I’m there!

Bautista: I would pay to see The Rock vs. Austin one more time.

Corrigan: The Texas Rattlesnake. I was excited when he teased a Texas Deathmatch with Brock Lesnar for WrestleMania 32. Sure, it’s been five years since then, but Austin still looks to be in great shape. And we still haven’t gotten him vs. Lesnar.

Goodwillie: As much as I appreciate his retirement for what it was, who wouldn’t want to see Austin vs. Rock IV at WrestleMania in LA? It goes against much of what I believe is wrong with WWE at the present moment, but there’s no way I don’t drop everything I’m doing to catch that match. Shut up and take my money!