10 Most Heartbreaking WWE Moments Ever
2. Edge Retires
Edge's retirement came about as much as a shock to WWE fans as it did the 'Rated-R Superstar' himself.
Bret Hart's career may have been ended by an errant kick, but his fellow Canadian's own departure was a sucker punch to the crowd that took a long time to recover from.
Having despatched Alberto Del Rio in the WrestleMania 27 World Heavyweight Championship match, most assumed the babyface Edge had much further to travel with the title. A final feud with Christian seemed likely, and even an earlier-than-usual retirement wouldn't sting considering the extreme punishment he put his body through from the turn of the millennium and beyond.
Unfortunately, the bumps caught up with him.
Edge's gutted Monday Night Raw was an unflinching display of emotion for his own plight. For all he spoken with wobbled grace, the sheer heartache was etched on his ordinarily-enthusiastic face.
A SmackDown pyro p*ss-about was a more light-hearted way for Edge to bid farewell to life as a permanent performer, but the original Raw reveal set the new standard for tearjerking goodbyes. Only Daniel Bryan's 2018 return diluted the power of his remorseful retirement, too.