10 Depressing Wrestling Retirement Matches
1. Bret Hart Vs. Bill Goldberg / Kevin Nash (Starrcade 1999 / Nitro January 2000)
Bret Hart will undoubtedly go down as one of the best to ever lace a pair of boots. His technical expertise, his in-ring psychology, and his ring general status all combine to make him one of the greatest ever.
After a mostly-wasted run, Hart faced Goldberg at Starrcade 1999, where Goldberg threw a poorly timed kick that legitimately rung Bret's bell, causing a concussion that would only worsen.
This would be Hitman's last match as the Bret Hart we knew and loved.
Two weeks after Starrcade, Hart faced Terry Funk in a hardcore match, adding to his injuries. A week after that, Hart squared off against Nash on Nitro in what would be his last full in-ring match. His timing and balance were visibly off. The match turned into the usual WCW non-finish and Hart would vacate his title a week later after the concussion diagnosis.
Goldberg has gone on record as saying it was the biggest mistake he ever made, as he effectively ended Hart's career. Hart seems to have forgiven him, but has also stated several times that Goldberg was unprofessional and that he constantly hurt his opponents through his lack of skill.
For true wrestling fans, this one still really hurts.