5 WWE Superstars who retired recently: Where are they now? 

There's an old adage, that all good things must come to an end.

And whilst fans may have wanted stars like 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, The Rock, Bret Hart or even The Undertaker to have carried on wrestling forever, these things simply can't happen.

Eventually, every Superstar who enters WWE has to retire, with many going on to find other ventures to work in.

Many also have kept themselves busy in the wrestling world despite hanging up their boots, often working for other promotions as a wrestler, or backstage.

These five WWE Superstars may be fresh in the memories of many fans, but many in the WWE Universe will have wondered what happened next.

Here are five WWE Superstars who have hung up their boots, and where they are now.

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#5 Joey Mercury

Mercury worked with Jamie Noble as J&J Security, often assisting then-WWE World Champion Seth Rollins.

Another former tag team champion, Joey Mercury’s departure from WWE was a shock.

Debuting on the main roster in 2005, Mercury first worked with Johnny Nitro and Melina in MNM, with the pair holding the WWE Tag Team Championships on multiple occasions.

After the group split, Mercury would return on TV in 2010 as part of CM Punk's Straight Edge Society, before being arguably his most popular as part of J&J Security with Jamie Noble.

A creative genius behind the scenes, it was recently revealed that Mercury was the mastermind behind teaming Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns together as The Shield.

Whilst he has competed on the indies on occasion, Mercury has become a backstage figure at Ring of Honor, working as a producer, where he has become a valuable asset to the promotion, given his WWE experience.

#4 Serena Deeb

Deeb returned to WWE in 2017, and became a PC trainer in 2018.

After being released from WWE due to actions off-screen, Serena Deeb could’ve called it a career.

Instead, the former Straight Edge Society member, who debuted on WWE TV in 2010 as a loyal disciple of CM Punk, kept wrestling, all around the world, and eventually returned to the company as part of the inaugural Mae Young Classic in 2017.

Despite being eliminated in the first round, Deeb certainly impressed officials backstage in WWE and was signed as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center in February 2018.

One of the most gifted women to enter a WWE ring, it’s fitting that Serena now helps the next generation of Superstars carry on her legacy, as the company continues forward with their Women’s Revolution, with the WrestleMania main event rumored to be a women's match for the first time ever.

#3 Gail Kim

After leaving WWE, Gail Kim became one of the pioneering women in TNA Impact Wrestling

Gail Kim may go down in WWE history as one of the company's biggest blunders.

Joining in 2003, Kim won the Women's Championship on her first night, though quickly became an afterthought, leaving years later due to feeling under-utilized.

Things didn't go much better for Kim when she returned in 2008, with the TNA Hall of Famer admitting that this return was mainly for financial stability.

In TNA though, Kim became one of the biggest stars ever, becoming the company's first Knockouts Champion before retiring a few years ago, as one of the most decorated stars in the promotion's history.

Nowadays, Kim continues to work for Impact, though in a backstage production, where she has been cited as one of the main factors behind the company's recent success after years of uncertainty.

#2 Billy Gunn

Billy Gunn returned as part of the New Age Outlaws in 2014.

As part of one of the most iconic teams of all time, Billy Gunn had great success as a tag team wrestler in the Attitude Era, first as part of the New Age Outlaws, and later DX.

Returning to WWE years later, Gunn was fired from the company after a wellness policy violation in 2015, though has continued to compete on the indies.

Whilst he still takes the odd in-ring booking here and there, Gunn himself has said he considers himself retired, and is looking at other prospects.

In January 2019, Gunn revealed that he will be working as a producer for All Elite Wrestling.

Describing the new promotion founded by Cody and the Young Bucks as a fantastic opportunity, Gunn's decades in wrestling will certainly help them, though the former champion hasn't ruled out competing.

#1 Mark Henry

Mark Henry was rightly inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018

A former World Heavyweight Champion, it may surprise fans that Mark Henry joined the WWE all the way back in 1996.

Since then, the World's Strongest Man has gone through several gimmick changes and storylines, some amazing, and some downright gross.

Stepping away from the ring in 2017, Henry, like many stars, has become a producer backstage, helping to put together matches, and took his rightful spot in the WWE Hal of Fame in 2018.

Most recently, the former World Champion revealed that he will act backstage as an enforcer role, making sure Superstars follow the unwritten rules of the wrestling world, such as showing up on time and staying to the very end.

We only wonder whether his and Mae Young's son, Hand Henry, will enter the business as a second generation Superstar.