10 Mega Superstars who quit WWE in their prime

WWE, as is often mentioned, is the ultimate goal for every pro wrestler. Despite WWE having one competitor after another trying to usurp them for years, no pro wrestling company has come even close to taking over WWE's mantle as the greatest sports entertainment company in the world.

For any pro wrestling fan and budding wrestler, WWE is the Everest of the business, and being signed by WWE, let alone winning championship, is a great achievement in itself.

But, a few Superstars, despite having achieved cult status, have quit the company in their prime.

Here, let's take a look at 10 mega Superstars who quit WWE in their prime:

---

#1 Stone Cold Steve Austin

The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin faced off in the latter's last match in the ring at WrestleMania 19

The man who changed the pro wrestling business on its head, brought a lot of money and fans to the company, and became an icon in the pro wrestling industry, Stone Cold Steve Austin quit the WWE at the age of 38, in his prime, in 2003.

Austin retired due to a number of reasons. He was unhappy at the storylines that he had going at that time, while a serious neck injury that happened to him in a match against Owen Hart a few years before his retirement, made it an easy decision for him to walk away from the WWE.

Austin, though, was seen in a WWE ring soon after, featuring in non-wrestling roles, including being the referee in the match between Goldberg and Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XX in 2004. He has since featured several times on WWE television, most notably in the feud between Vince McMahon and future US President Donald Trump.

#2 Batista

6-time WWE Champion Batista quit WWE in 2010, after being in a program with John Cena for the WWE title. His exit came as a surprise as he was one of the most popular stars in the WWE, having been a part of Evolution alongside Triple H, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton, and then carving a niche for himself away from the group.

He revealed that he quit WWE because he wanted to concentrate on his acting career.

“It came about out of spite. First, I have to say it came from me discovering I was a horrible actor and I wanted to be a better actor and I wanted to do it while I was still with WWE. They would not give me the opportunity within the company.

"So I said, ‘I should be given the opportunity to do it outside of the company.’ They said, ‘absolutely not.' I said, ‘Well I’m going to let my contract run out and I’m going to leave.’ So that’s exactly what I did and I set out to be an actor," said Batista about why he quit WWE to become an actor.

He later returned twice, before his final match with the WWE in 2019 at WrestleMania 35, against Triple H.

#3 Goldberg

Goldberg was WCW's most popular star, and one of the highest paid Superstars on their roster. When WWE bought out WCW, they did not buy out Goldberg's contract which meant that he did not make the move to WWE, like many of his peers in WCW.

But he did eventually sign for WWE in 2003 and feuded with top stars like The Rock, Chris Jericho, Triple H, and finally, the most eagerly awaited clash in WWE back then, against Brock Lesnar.

The match happened at WrestleMania XX, where Stone Cold Steve Austin was the special guest referee, and Goldberg got the win.

The match will be largely remembered for the loud booing that Goldberg and Lesnar received from the fans as it was the last match for both Superstars in the WWE.

He later revealed that he quit WWE in 2004 because he no longer enjoyed being a pro wrestler.

#4 Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar has quit WWE, or at least stayed away from the business, for long periods of time. Lesnar first quit WWE in 2004, at his prime, in the aforementioned match against Goldberg at WrestleMania 20 in 2004.

He made the decision to leave WWE at the age of 27 to try his hand at football, before wrestling in Japan and then MMA. He returned to the WWE 8 years later, and has featured sporadically in the WWE.

After quitting WWE, Lesnar spoke about how he is serious about a football career: "This is no load of bull; it's no WWE stunt. I am dead serious about this. I ain't afraid of anything and I ain't afraid of anybody. I've been an underdog in athletics since I was five. I got zero college offers for wrestling. Now people say I can't play football, that it's a joke. I say I can," said Lesnar back in 2004.

#5 The Rock

CM Punk and The Rock feuded back in 2013

The Rock, along with the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kurt Angle and Triple H, made WWE one of the most watched shows on television. He helped shape the Attitude Era, and after having achieved there is to achieve in the business, quit WWE in 2004, much like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar.

The Rock, though, ventured into films, having already had one mega-hit with The Scorpion King movie. After leaving WWE in 2004, and a flurry of brief appearances, he returned to WWE in 2011, feuding with the likes of John Cena and CM Punk.

He returned once again at WrestleMania 32 where he squashed Erick Rowan in no time, but hasn't featured in WWE since. He has several movie projects on hand, as a producer and actor, and may not be appearing anytime soon on WWE television.

#6 Dean Ambrose

Dean Ambrose quit WWE in April 2019

Dean Ambrose is the latest big-name WWE Superstar to quit the company in his prime. Well, some may argue that he wasn't in his prime as he hadn't competed for WWE's top prize for a long time, but he was arguably one of the most popular Superstars in the WWE roster.

Ambrose was reportedly unhappy at the storylines that he was involved in WWE and made the decision to not renew his contract, which expired in April 2019. The news of him rejecting a new WWE contract came as a surprise as he quit the promotion at just 33 years of age, and when he had a lot to offer.

We could perhaps see the Lunatic Fringe feature in the indie scene or even switch to the newest pro wrestling promotion, AEW.

#7 Kevin Nash and #8 Scott Hall

Kevin Nash and Scott Hall with Hulk Hogan

Kevin Nash and Scott Hall have been best friends for a long time, and have followed each other whichever promotion they have featured in. Both Nash and Hall were in WCW in the early 90s, before making the switch over to WWE, where they both made a name for themselves. Nash won the WWF Championship, while Hall held the Intercontinental Championship on a number of occasions.

Both of them quit WWE in 1995, and they will be infamously remembered for the MSG incident, where along with Shawn Michales and Triple H, they embraced in the ring and broke kayfabe.

While many believe that the two quit WWE because WCW were offering a lot of money, Eric Bischoff, the man who was running WCW when the two made the switch to the company revealed that it wasn't the money but the easier schedule that led to Nash and Hall quitting WWE.

Both Nash and Hall were top stars when they quit WWE for WCW in 1995, where they won several titles. They were brought back to the WWE in 2002, while both Nash and Hall were also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

#9 CM Punk

One of the biggest departures from the WWE in recent times is that of CM Punk, who had a cult following among the WWE Universe.

Punk quit WWE in 2014 and cited several reasons for leaving the company. The former WWE Champion was unhappy at how WWE doctors were lax in the treatment of an injury to him. He was also displeased at being paid lesser than other Superstars on the roster, while one of the other important reason for his departure was his unhappiness at the storylines he was involved in.

He was also unhappy at not having main-evented WrestleMania, despite being one of the most popular Superstars on the roster.

After quitting WWE, Punk switched his sights to UFC and MMA, but has lost both the matches that he's been a part of, with many believing that he's not cut out to being a UFC fighter.

#10 Bret Hart

Bret Hart after losing at Survivor Series

One of the most controversial exits from WWE history was that of former WWE Champion and icon Bret Hart, who quit the company in 1997 and joined WCW.

Most wrestling fans know of the Montreal Screwjob, where Hart lost to Shawn Michaels for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, which was his final match in WWE, in his home country of Canada.

Hart had already signed a deal with WCW as WWE could no longer afford Hart's contract. Although Bret Hart was willing to lose the title to Shawn Michaels, he did not want to lose in front of his home fans at the Survivor Series PPV in 1997.

Hart eventually moved to WCW and went on to win numerous titles, before burying the hatchet with Vince McMahon and WWE, and returning in 2005 before being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice.