4 WWE stars who are heartbreakingly close to retirement

WWE Superstars are often portrayed as larger-than-life and somewhat invincible characters. However, in reality, they are still normal human beings who will eventually need to hang up their boots when the time comes.

One of the biggest topics in wrestling today is John Cena's farewell tour that kicked off at this year's Royal Rumble. After more than two decades in the industry, he will be retiring as an in-ring superstar. Although many fans are devastated by the news, it was a long time coming and inevitable.

Aside from his schedule as a Hollywood star, his age is also one of the main reasons he will be hanging up his boots. However, The Cenation Leader might not be the only one bidding the sport goodbye soon.

In this list, we will look at four WWE stars close to retirement:

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#4. AJ Styles has been talking about retiring for a while now

Like John Cena, AJ Styles doesn't shy away from talking about retirement plans and has openly shared some of his thoughts on the topic. In October last year, he returned to action after a few months away. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury in his first match back.

According to reports, had The Phenomenal One not been injured, he would have embarked on a retirement tour. Styles, who began wrestling at the of age 21, is 47 years old. He has cemented a strong legacy in wrestling and he doesn't have anything else left to prove.

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#3. Rey Mysterio is already preparing for his WWE retirement

One of the biggest names in professional wrestling history is arguably Rey Mysterio. He introduced Lucha to the mainstream and has inspired several names to follow in his footsteps. Although he still moves gracefully in the ring, he previously talked about retiring at 50, his current age. After receiving treatments, he may have been able to extend his run, but his time might be coming up.

The Hall of Famer recently shared that he would love to announce when he will retire instead of simply doing so quietly. He also revealed that he is slowly preparing himself mentally for his retirement and using John's farewell tour as a guide.

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#2. Seth Rollins' injuries over the years might make him retire sooner rather than later

Seth Rollins has garnered many monikers in his WWE career, but the one that many cannot deny is that of a workhorse. Whether as a champion or not, The Visionary has been active inside the ring and continuously delivers incredible performances. However, that comes with a price.

In 2024, he tore his MCL and despite this was still part of WrestleMania where he competed in two different matches. In August, it was reported that he had issues with his lower back. He is already 38 and it's safe to say that the years haven't been kind to him, and the wear and tear on his body may cause him to consider retirement sooner rather than later. When recently talking about retirement plans, he mentioned an interest in having an executive or creative role in WWE.

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#1. Roman Reigns almost retired before becoming The Tribal Chief

Roman Reigns might be one of the biggest WWE stars today, but he had a long journey to the top. He was infamously hated by the crowd during his initial solo run after The Shield and even decided not to return during the COVID-19 pandemic. However that all changed not long after, and he became The Tribal Chief. However, his time might also be coming up.

The Head of the Table recently revealed that there are times when he thinks about retirement, but stated that there are still more performances left in him. He is currently 39 years old, and although that's still on the younger side compared to others on the list and the roster, he has nothing else left to prove in WWE.