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The retirement of a WWE Superstar is difficult for fans to truly come to terms with. They expect their favorites to stay and entertain them with their iconic moves and antics. However, all good things come to an end.
The majority of the time when superstars retire, they prefer to go out with a bang. This is why sometimes they renounce retirement and prepare for a one-off match. Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker are two legends that not only came back but also gave a memorable last match.
However, some superstars have retired without that luxury. Their last match was a disappointment and they may want to return to correct underwhelming endings. Fans would love to see some iconic superstars come out of retirement and play a part in dream clashes.
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On this list, we will take a look at five retired WWE Superstars who could return for one more match.
Former WWE writer buries Judgment Day HERE
#5. JBL
Donning a suit and cowboy hat, Bradshaw’s transition to JBL came at a time when it was required the most. Brock Lesnar and Stone Cold Steve Austin had left WWE and the company needed to generate more main event superstars. The heel JBL fit into the role perfectly. He naturally drew massive heat from the crowd and changed his character completely to become the hallmark of a WWE villain.
Fans were visibly incensed when JBL defeated Eddie Guerrero to win the WWE Championship. It initiated a rise to the top of the roster and he continued to win multiple titles and he became the tenth Grand Slam Champion. The WWE Hall of Famer continued to perform as a heel for ten years before losing to Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 25.
The Master of the 619 defeated him in just 21 seconds, taking the Intercontinental title in the process. The latter announced his retirement following that match and took to commentary. Interestingly, Bradshaw didn’t retire as he promised earlier in 2006 when Rey had defeated him.
Most superstars avenge an embarrassing loss like that at the Show of Shows, but the former world champion has no inclination to do so. However, he should make things right with his fans. An obvious way to achieve that is by destroying Rey Mysterio and his son Dominik in an in-ring ambush no one expects. The attack would set up a future match at preferably another WrestleMania.
JBL could return like the infamous heel he used to be for a one-off against his arch-nemesis, Rey Mysterio.
#4. Trish Stratus
While Lita has a ‘sense of peace’ after fighting her last bout, the same might not be true for Trish Stratus. The seven-time women’s champion challenged Becky Lynch to a fight, during an exclusive interview with Bill Apter of Sportskeeda. Big Time Becks opened up about the possibility of such a match during her appearance on Drew Garebo's Live Featured Cut of the Day.
The Diva of the Decade award winner, Trish Stratus has had stellar matches in the past with Victoria, Jazz and even Lita. She initially retired in 2006 after winning her seventh Women’s Championship. However, the WWE Hall of Famer has come back multiple times. Her most noteworthy bout recently was against Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam 2019.
Stratus used every move at her disposal, and even copied Charlotte’s Figure 8 Leg-Lock, pushing The Queen to the absolute limit. Although she lost, she could arguably give Charlotte another run for her money. The Stratusphere specialist is still interested in returning to the company, with either Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair being the perfect opponent.
She is physically fit for someone of her age and still has the ability to pull punches and execute moves perfectly. Trish Stratus deserves to get an opportunity to end her career on a high note with a victory against a former Women’s Champion.
#3. Batista
Batista left WWE following a humiliating defeat to Triple H in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 35. It featured disturbing scenes, including The Game removing Batista's nose ring with pliers and wrapping a steel chain around his face. The Animal got brutally dominated in a farewell match that his fans wouldn't have enjoyed.
However, Batista was content with his last match. But fans still believe he must deserved a better ending to his career. A recent piece of good news is that Batista was spotted training with Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP), which has led fans to speculate that he might have the intention to return for another bout.
If he does return, WWE could possibly develop a storyline in which he joins former tag team partner Rey Mysterio in his battle against The Judgment Day. In another scenario, he could facilitate the rejoining of Evolution by pairing with Randy Orton. Triple H can act as their manager and it technically would still be the same iconic stable, which did not have a memorable last match against The Shield at Payback 2014.
#2. Recently inducted WWE Hall of Famer: The Undertaker
The Undertaker’s ‘Boneyard match’ against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 was memorable for many reasons. He took on the role of the ‘Unholy Trinity’ for the first time, which was a combination of The Deadman, The American Badass and his real-life self. If that wasn’t enough, he buried The Phenomenal One in a secluded area after the brawl.
He officially retired in November 2020. Two years later, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. It is interesting to note that Mark Calaway teased a return during his speech. The words “never say never” indicate that The Undertaker hasn’t definitively ruled out a return to the ring if required by the company.
WWE could also possibly give the dream match fans are waiting for - Sting vs The Undertaker. It eventually might require a return of The Icon or a crossover event between WWE and All Elite Wrestling. In another case, The Phenom could give Kane a dream retirement match alongside him or against The Big Red Machine.
#1. The Rock
WWE fans are ecstatic about a potential The Rock versus Roman Reigns face-off at WrestleMania 39. Rumors regarding the bout have been prevalent since 2020 and have increased significantly since The Brahma Bull implied that it “makes sense” to have such a dream one-on-one between the cousins.
The 10-time world champion left WWE in 2004 to pursue his acting ambitions. He returned in 2011 as a part-timer, making sporadic appearances before retiring in 2019. During this eight-year period, The Great One defeated John Cena, Rock-bottomed Eric Rowan in six seconds, and ended CM Punk’s reign of 434-days as WWE Champion.
Undoubtedly, fans will back The Rock to defeat Roman Reigns. The company could book him to end The Tribal Chief’s legendary run as Universal Champion for 700+ days. It is only a matter of whether the two parties prefer to fight against each other, let alone pass the prestigious championship between themselves.
Paul Heyman’s opinion of The Rock getting defeated by The Tribal Chief could be proven wrong. These mocking words could form the base for a storyline, which would eventually lead to a showdown of The Rock versus Roman Reigns at The Grandest Stage of them All in Los Angeles.
