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Retirement is the inevitable ending of every WWE Superstar's career. Professional wrestling is a demanding sport that takes a toll on the human body, and wrestlers often have to call it a day, frequently on their own terms.
John Cena recently unveiled his retirement plans at Money in the Bank 2024. The 16-time World Champion announced a 12-month farewell tour next year, which is likely to cultivate much excitement and attention.
While Cena's retirement has aroused much fanfare, several others decided to hang up their boots quietly.
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#4. Brock Lesnar retired during the COVID-19 pandemic era
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Brock Lesnar is considered one of the greatest combat sports athletes. His legacy is unparalleled, but Lesnar has never been particularly known to love the spotlight.
This was evident when The Beast Incarnate quietly retired during the pandemic after dropping the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre in the main event of WrestleMania 36. The quiet retirement came around the time Lesnar's contract expired in 2020.
Lesnar's supposed retirement received little fanfare, but he was content with the same as he believed his career had come "full circle." However, The Conqueror soon returned to WWE at SummerSlam 2021 with a new persona for a well-received feud with Roman Reigns.
#3. Former WWE Champion Batista
Batista was one of the top stars of the Ruthless Aggression Era. A multi-time World Champion, The Animal's impact in WWE cannot be understated, especially in the mid-2000s.
However, Batista didn't receive a proper retirement match. He returned for one final match against Triple H at WrestleMania 35, ironically with Hunter's career on the line.
Triple H prevailed to save his career. Soon after, Batista took to Twitter, now known as X, to announce his retirement from WWE. There was no televised farewell segment to address The Animal's retirement and a Hall of Fame induction still eludes him.
#2. Bobby Roode quietly retired in 2024
One of the many TNA stalwarts who jumped ship to WWE late in his career, Bobby Roode's time in the Stamford-based promotion proved slightly underwhelming as the former US Champion never made it past the midcard.
After a prolonged absence from the squared circle, news recently broke out that Roode had retired from in-ring competition and assumed an active backstage role as a producer. The former NXT Champion had undergone neck surgery in December 2022 that kept him out of the ring.
Since Roode's retirement came suddenly when he wasn't a major player in any ongoing storyline, his absence didn't receive much scrutiny. The TNA veteran didn't receive a definitive farewell match.
#1. Former NXT Tag Team Champion Jason Jordan
Jason Jordan's case was pretty similar to that of Bobby Roode. Jordan had to retire prematurely due to a career-threatening neck injury. The former Tag Team Champion has not wrestled since February 2018.
Jordan's retirement case was deeply upsetting. He had to hang up the boots at 29 when he was being groomed for a massive push that could have seen him involved with the likes of Seth Rollins and Kurt Angle, his storyline father.
One-half of The American Alpha alongside Chad Gable, Jordan had a promising career ahead of him, but an injury ended his dreams. Fortunately, he found solace in a backstage role as a producer.
