10 Obscure Wrestling Retirement Matches You Didn't Know About

5. Nick Bockwinkel

Kevin Nash James Ellsworth
WWE

Nick Bockwinkel is who - and the man himself has admitted this - Chris Jericho wanted to be when he donned the suit in 2008. He's who Nick Aldis thinks he is now, and he's who Cody Rhodes was slightly more subtle in drawing inspiration from when evolving into an articulate, statesmanlike aspirational NWA World's champion.

Bockwinkel, elegantly spoken understated technical master, made his wrestling bow in 1954 and embarked on a legendary pro wrestling career. He was superb for a very, very long time, so much so that it wasn't until 1987 that he passed the torch to Curt Hennig. That wasn't his last match.

Nick Bockwinkel worked Dory Funk, Jr in his last ever match...in 1993!

For a major US promotion, live on pay-per-view (WCW Slamboree 1993).

While vaguely respectable, that was the absolutely nicest thing to say about it. Nobody in the crowd cared. The match feels like it couldn't possible have happened. They had been around the industry so long ago, an industry that moved forward with a blistering pace, that it might as well have been Gotch and Hackenschmidt in there.

That's not unlike Dolph Ziggler wrestling The Miz one last time.

In 2024.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!