Being a WWE Superstar is no easy job. You have to put your body on the line for the entertainment of the fans, stay away from your family, work throughout the year, and even compete when the entire world is in lockdown. The human body can only cope up with such a hectic schedule for so long, hence why we've seen many WWE Superstars become part-timers recently.
Be it the 16-time World Champion, John Cena or the Demon of the Death Valley, The Undertaker, we've seen many of our favorites decide to take on a lighter schedule due to a variety of reasons, with health and age being the predominant ones.
With the WWE rosrer growing every day and many young Superstars waiting for their chance to make it big, it is only fitting for some of these veterans to allow the next generation have the spotlight. At the same time, becoming a part-timer also assures their limited appearances become much more impactful.
So let's take a look at the five WWE Superstars who could soon become part-timers.
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
#5 Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy is considered by many to be one of the best high-flying Superstars to have ever graced the ring - and deservedly so. The Charismatic Enigma has had a Hall of Fame worthy career spanning across multiple decades and continues to entertain the fans to this day.
He recently returned to WWE and while he's looking to be in great shape, we all know the toll that his body has taken over the last many years, thanks to his daredevil stunts. However, he does still have enough star-power to sell out an arena (whenever fans are allowed to attend the shows live again) and put over a younger Superstar. It would make sense for him to slow it down and only wrestle at major shows and big PPVs.
#4 Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan is one of those once-in-a-generation superstars who made people fall in love with the art of pro-wrestling. Being one of the biggest babyfaces in recent memory, the Leader of the YES Movement has had a remarkable career in the company with many ups and downs.
Returning to the ring two years ago after retiring in 2016, the five-time World Champion has proven to everyone that he's still got it. Alas, now that he's about to become a father for the second time, it is natural for him to want to spend more time with his family. On the latest episode of The Bellas Podcast, Bryan revealed that he considers himself as “done being a full-time wrestler”.
“To me, in my mind, it's almost like, I think I'm done being a full-time wrestler. I love being dad. I will always love wrestling and I will always want to do wrestling. But when I say 'always want to do wrestling,' that means maybe once a month or once every couple of months.”
With his current contract set to be up soon, we may see him sign a deal with a much lighter schedule over the coming years.
#3 Dolph Ziggler
A Superstar who has been a beloved babyface as well as a hated heel throughout different phases of his career, Dolph Ziggler has proven his versatility on numerous occasions. Along with his great character work, him being an amazing wrestler goes a long way in establishing Ziggler as one of the best WWE Superstars of this generation.
What we might not realize is that the Showoff has been with the company for a long time and is a veteran himself. Having won multiple titles, being a Triple Crown Champion, a former Money in the Bank winner and headlining many major WWE PPVs, Ziggler has played the role of establishing many new Superstars from NXT to the main roster by losing to them clean.
Outside of wrestling, Ziggler has a huge interest in stand-up comedy and the past two years have seen him take this profession seriously as he has taken time off last year to focus on his tour. While he is in the mix currently on SmackDown, don't be surprised if he takes a break again after WrestleMania season to focus on his secondary career.
#2 Rey Mysterio
When you talk about the greatest Luchadors of all time, Rey Mysterio is the one who tops the list for many. The Master of the 619 has made a pivotal contribution in establishing the fact that size doesn't matter if you have the talent and passion to succeed in this business.
Since returning to the company in 2018, Rey Mysterio has taken the entire WWE Universe by surprise due to his highly agile wrestling-style - even at the age of 45. He is a perfect example of someone who keeps getting better with age. But at the same time, he has made it clear on numerous occasions that he might not have much time left in his in-ring career.
Last year, we saw Mysterio's son Dominick being highly involved in his father's storylines, which led many to believe that he will make his in-ring debut. While we haven't witnessed that yet, it still looks to be the direction that WWE would want to take soon. Be it a match against his father, or a tag match alongside him, Dominick has a great start lined up for him.
Once he debuts, we might see Rey slowly winding up his career. While WWE can book a retirement angle for him, he'll probably still show-up once or twice a year to set up a match and put over some younger talent.
#1 Edge
It was in 2011 when the then World Champion Edge was forced to retire from in-ring competition due to an unfortunate neck injury, with reports indicating that one bad bump could've led to some form of paralysis.
After nearly nine years, the Rated-R Superstar proved that the saying of "never say never in this business" is true, as he made a surprise return to the ring earlier this year at the Royal Rumble and went on to be in the final three of the men's match.
With him currently being involved in a highly-personal rivalry with the Apex Predator, Randy Orton, the two are all set to take on each other at WrestleMania 36.
But what next? What after he's done with Orton and WrestleMania? Will he become a full-time competitor, wrestling day in and day out? Well, that's highly unlikely. With the reports of him signing a deal for multiple years, Edge is likely to play the role of a part-timer, coming back for matches on the big PPVs.
Who would you want to see him go up against after Orton?