6. Nikita Koloff Retired Due To 1992 Match Against Vader
From 1984-1989, Nikita Koloff was a huge star in both Jim Crockett Promotions and eventually World Championship Wrestling. In '89, he departed due to problems ongoing in his personal life. His wife had passed away after battling illness, and Koloff's heart was ripped out of him. This pushed wrestling further back on his list of priorities, and he quickly faded away. Following a brief spell in the AWA, Nikita returned to WCW in 1991. Feuding with Lex Luger at first, Koloff then transitioned into a rivalry against Sting. Working effectively as a heel, it wouldn't be too long until he was back on the babyface side of the alignment fence. In late-1992, he began working opposite Big Van Vader, which would be the last program of his career. That wasn't planned, but Vader's ultra-stiff in-ring style didn't sit well with Koloff. During the match, he sustained a hernia when attempting a bodyslam on the big man. As if that wasn't enough, one of the big masked man's clotheslines badly injured Nikita's neck. The writing was on the wall, and he wrestled his last mainstream match at Halloween Havoc.