Edge and 3 other AEW legends who were forced to retire in WWE

Retirement is an unfortunate reality for every WWE Superstar. When the Stamford-based promotion had little competition from other companies, the end of a star's WWE career heralded the culmination of their pro wrestling endeavors.

AEW, however, has presented a haven for such superstars, who could no longer compete in WWE. This listicle looks at four All Elite Wrestling stars who were once forced to retire in the sports entertainment juggernaut.

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#4 WWE Hall of Famer Edge

Adam Copeland (aka Edge) is All Elite! The Hall of Famer sent shockwaves through the pro wrestling world by making his debut at AEW WrestleDream 2023.

The Rated-R Superstar wrestled his final match against Sheamus on the August 18 edition of SmackDown in his hometown of Toronto. WWE and Edge couldn't renegotiate a second contract. After his deal expired, the multi-time champion jumped ship to AEW.

Copeland was forced to retire from in-ring competition in 2011 due to a neck injury. Fortunately, he returned to the squared at Royal Rumble 2020 and competed in numerous high-profile bouts over the next three years.

Considering the physical shape Copeland is in and the friends he has over in AEW, it made complete sense for him to sign with the Tony Khan-led promotion.

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#3 Christian Cage

Speaking of Edge, his best friend, Christian Cage, also suffered a similar fate. Following a severe concussion and a history of brutal injuries, Captain Charisma was forced into semi-retirement in 2014.

The former World Heavyweight Champion remained distant from the squared circle for seven long years. Christian returned to in-ring action in the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble match, where he reunited with Edge. However, this was his final WWE appearance.

He debuted in AEW a few months later under his Christian Cage moniker. The Stamford-based promotion reportedly wanted the Canadian legend to work a lighter schedule, but Captain Charisma wanted to perform regularly. Hence, he signed a multi-year contract with the Tony Khan-led promotion in 2021.

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#2 Sting

Sting was arguably the last major star of the fallen WCW to land in WWE. At Survivor Series 2014, The Icon set foot in the then-Vince McMahon run promotion for the first time at the age of 55.

However, an awkward landing off a Buckle Bomb severely injured the legend's neck, forcing him into retirement. Sting was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, but his pro wrestling endeavors were put on hold for the next five years.

Fortunately, Stinger came out of retirement when he signed with AEW in 2021. When discussing his decision to leave the top wrestling promotion, the unlikelihood of a match against The Undertaker was listed as a significant grievance.

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#1 Daniel Bryan

Unlike other entries on this list, Daniel Bryan's name has primarily been included for storyline reasons. The American Dragon's final wrestling match was billed as a retirement encounter with the stipulation that he would have to leave if he lost.

Bryan lost to Roman Reigns again in a Universal Title match on the April 30, 2021 edition of SmackDown. He left WWE on good terms and had an interesting take on his reasons for leaving the company. The former champion was once forced to retire from the ring before returning at WrestleMania 34.

The American Dragon wanted to bleed in his matches, which was against the Stamford-based promotion's safety guidelines.