7 living legends that we may bid farewell to in 2019

It will be an emotional send-off when these legendary WWE Superstars bid farewell in 2019...

The average age of the current WWE main roster champions is 33-years old. The current age of the entire NXT roster, including house-show performers, is roughly 28-years old.

That's a stark contrast from the way things once were when WWE Superstars were much older. The point is, the sport is getting younger by the year. The independent wrestling scene is chock-full of performers in their early-20's, some even in their late teens.

Not only is the sport getting younger, but it is getting faster and much more competitive. With that in mind, some of the older, more seasoned Superstars of today are finding it more and more difficult to keep up with these lightning fast rookies.

Professional wrestling has changed drastically in the past 10, 20 years. Instead of focusing primarily on the technical aspect of the business, there is more emphasis on theatrics and high-risk, high-flying feats of brilliance.

With this said, there are still quite a few elders still suiting up on a regular basis. While the nostalgic fanatic in me wants to hold on to the tradition which made the sport so great, there is also the more realistic side of me which understands that it is indeed almost time to bid adieu to some of the remaining living legends still on the WWE roster.

Speaking of the last remaining legends of wrestling who are still competing, who are some that will most likely be walking away in the near future? Are you prepared to say goodbye to your favorite veterans of the squared-circle? After taking an in-depth look at all of the existing main roster veterans, here's a look at the 7 living legends whom we will soon be watching as they march off into the sunset...

#7 R-Truth

TRUTH is, R-Truth delivered a lot during his career!

I realize that some of my readers may get caught up in the title of this column and question why I would consider R-Truth to be a "living legend," as mentioned in the title. Well, my response would simply ask "what qualifies someone to be considered a living legend?"

With that said, R-Truth has been a consistent source of quality in-ring entertainment throughout his 21-year career. You rarely, if ever, hear anything negative about Truth, coming out of the locker room. Truth simply goes to work and handles business, period.

R-Truth hasn't been known for winning a lot of titles, but then again, someone like him doesn't have to accumulate a laundry list of accolades in order to be considered a success story. Truth has the unique ability to connect with the WWE Universe and he uses that to his advantage. In return, the fans absolutely adore him.

As mentioned earlier, Truth has been competing in the ring for over 20-years now and while he may not have headlined WrestleMania, he has a few other accomplishments, one being winning the famed '10 pounds of gold' while with TNA, that he can hang his hat on once his career has come to a close.

It's obvious that this 46-year old WWE Superstar is nearing the finish line and the question that will be asked next, once he does hang up the boots, is "what's next?" Some say Truth should join the coaches and staff in Orlando and become a trainer for NXT.

Personally, I think we will simply watch R-Truth dance off into the sunset. This is due primarily to the fact that Truth has so much going on outside of wrestling, such as his music and his family.

Truth has released several albums during his wrestling career and I'm sure the newly found downtime will be split between his two loves, one being his music and spending time with his wife and 5 children.

#6 Goldust

Imagine growing up as the son of an icon such as The American Dream Dusty Rhodes. While I'm sure Dusty was away from home an awful lot, I feel safe in assuming that the young Dustin Runnels still managed to get plenty of personal time with his pops throughout the years.

With that said, there was probably a pivotal moment at some point during his younger years in which Dustin decided that he indeed wanted to follow in his fathers' legendary shoes.

There must have been an insurmountable amount of pressure, just trying to live up to the legacy left behind by his father, who just so happened to be one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all-time. Thankfully for Dustin, the apple never fell too far from the tree and he turned out to be a pretty darn good wrestler himself.

Dustin has had to endure a plethora of gimmick changes during his 30-year run. However, it was the flamboyant moniker that we came to know as 'Goldust' that would transcend anything Dustin had achieved to this point.

Goldust was new, it was odd, it was provocative...and it worked! Dustin embraced the challenge of stepping outside of everything "normal" and in doing so, he not only gave birth to one of the most memorable personas in history, but he also helped kick-start the birth of the Attitude Era.

Goldust is now 49-years young, but still finds a way to deliver at a high level each and every night. It's time for him to step down and possibly contribute from the sidelines as a producer or some other role. Dustin has a lot to offer the youngsters coming up, but it has certainly been a joy watching him through the years.

#5 Shelton Benjamin

One of the most under-utilized stars of all-time.

If you can truly call yourself a "close friend" to Brock Lesnar, you have got to be a pretty tough individual, or just completely insane. When it comes to Shelton Benjamin, very few have been able to get as close to The Beast Incarnate as he has. In fact, Lesnar and Benjamin once lived together back when Lesnar was not quite as financially sound as he is today.

Lesnar asked Benjamin for a place to stay and of course, his buddy obliged and Lesnar then moved into Benjamin's home and took up residence in his basement. Since then, the two have apparently remained very close friends.

Like Lesnar, Shelton Benjamin was also an accomplished amateur wrestler, with success on the collegiate level as well. In fact, both of these WWE Superstars attended college at The University of Minnesota, where both competed in wrestling. It's also worth mentioning that Benjamin being a couple of years older than Brock, he was once Brock's assistant wrestling coach.

In the year 2000, Shelton Benjamin embarked on a new journey, one that included signing his first WWE contract. Shelton was first assigned to WWE's then-developmental brand, Ohio Valley Wrestling(OVW).

In continuing with the theme, you may not be surprised to learn that both Brock and Benjamin signed around the same time and when they reported to OVW, they joined forces and formed a tag team, which was known then as "The Minnesota Stretching Crew."

Shelton has quietly had a successful run as a professional wrestler. With multiple reigns as a tag team champion, as well as being a 3-time Intercontinental Champion, Shelton has accumulated his fair share of hardware along the way.

However, now at 43-years young, the company is continuously getting younger and it appears they are having a difficult time finding a creative direction for the 18-year veteran. Like several others on this list, Benjamin would also make a tremendous coach for the NXT team, if that's something he would be interested in. Very few would be as qualified for the job as Benjamin is.

#4 Big Show

I have been fortunate to meet many professional wrestlers throughout my life. I have been watching since around 1984 and growing up in the greater Memphis region, I was privy to some fantastic wrestling back then.

Some of my earliest memories include Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert, Legion of Doom, Junkyard Dog, The Rock-and-Roll Express and so on... The first wrestler I ever met was Dr. Death Steve Williams and that experience was not-so-pleasant.

I suppose he was likely keeping with his gimmick and staying true to character, but he had a horrible attitude towards fans at what was supposed to be a meet-and-greet. I have mentioned all of this so I can get to this- The Big Show is one of the absolute best people you will ever meet outside of the ring. While he portrays a giant monster on television, he is one of the most humble and pleasant WWE Superstars you would ever meet.

The Big Show is someone who has overachieved his entire career. Most folks with his size and condition would simply stomp down to the ring, slam their opponent, collect a check...repeat. Big Show actually honed his craft and became a good wrestler and while that may sound like common sense, you have to understand what it must be like to live in that massive frame.

The Big Show has had one heck of a run as a WWE Superstar, collecting a laundry list of titles along the way. In fact, Show was the 24th Superstar to win the WWE Triple Crown and only the 12th to win the Grand Slam. It's becoming increasingly obvious that his health and age are finally catching up with him, but I really hope he sticks around in some capacity, perhaps in a backstage role or something where he can help the younger talent coming up.

#3 Kane

Very few Superstars have come along with presence as intimidating as the Big Red Monster known as Kane. With nearly three decades to his credit, Kane has certainly outlasted any normal expectations. Not only has Kane survived the test of time, but he has also somehow managed to keep himself in the top tier of the WWE roster.

Kane has accomplished a lot throughout his legendary career. Not only has Kane accumulated a long list of championship victories, but he has also been involved in some of the most historic storylines in wrestling history.

One of the most memorable angles in history is the partnership between Kane and The Undertaker, which may have culminated recently at the Australian pay-per-view 'WWE Super Show-Down' at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds on October 6, 2018, as Kane accompanied Taker to the ring for what may have been the final time the Brothers of Destruction will be seen together.

We have seen Kane accomplish a lot and he has left the WWE Universe with plenty of great memories. Now he has entered a different line of work as his wrestling career starts to wind down. Kane was recently elected as the new Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, which happens to be his hometown. Kane assumed office and was sworn in on September 1, 2018.

#2 Kurt Angle

When it comes to listing the very best pure wrestlers of all-time, you'll be hard-pressed to find very many names that top the Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle. Throughout his legendary 20-year career, Angle has provided fans with some epic memories which will live on forever.

Kurt Angle grew up with a passion for amateur wrestling. In fact, Angle spent most his life as a successful amateur wrestler, which culminated with a gold medal performance at the 1996 Olympics.

Like many amateur wrestlers, Angle never had a very fond opinion about professional wrestling. He thought of it as a joke and something that was beneath him. However, his perception changed drastically as he began to watch Monday Night RAW. He was once even quoted as saying he saw "world-class athletes doing very athletic things."

After completing a tryout, Angle was signed by WWE officials and he caught on incredibly quick. Angle would use his extensive amateur background to his advantage as he progressed as a WWE Superstar and the rest is history.

Kurt Angle has nothing left to prove. As a former multi-time World Champion with WWE as well as TNA, Kurt also held plenty of other Championships during his career.

His current reign the RAW GM will likely come to a conclusion in the near future which will leave his career in creative limbo. It is possible that Kurt Angle could wrap things up with a big payoff bout at Wrestlemania 35.

#1 The Undertaker

Never before has there been a character which commanded such respect and fear. The Undertaker is a persona that is so much larger than life that it demands its own eras.

Regardless if you were a fan if the American Badass, The Lord of Darkness, Big Evil or perhaps you're a nostalgic fan if the Original Western style Mortician...they were all epic in their own right and they will never be duplicated, just as they will definitely never be forgotten.

As we have witnessed the evolution and the progression of The Deadman, it sometimes seemed impossible to picture professional wrestling without the presence of Taker. But with that said, the loss to Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 30 really hit Undertaker fans right in the guts.

For once we were forced to imagine life after The Deadman and that is a difficult pill to swallow. However, it is important to remember that The Undertaker has absolutely nothing left to prove. At 53-years old, it's time that we, as fans, to embrace the fact that we were all able to witness one of the greatest of all-time, in his prime as he left his iconic mark on the sport for many to follow in his gigantic footsteps.

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