10 Old WWE Stars You Won't Believe Are Still Wrestling

The Brood lives on in 2017...

Jim Duggan 2017
Twitter/@LGNDSofWRSTLNG

What's the average shelf life of a pro wrestler? Maybe 10-15 years maximum, if you're lucky and stay injury free? Guys like The Undertaker and Ric Flair are the exception to that rule, but earning a living by being slammed on the mat or running the ropes generally doesn't favour longevity.

It's amazing then to learn that some WWE favourites from the 1980s are still pulling on the tights and working matches in 2017. Perhaps it's sad that a few feel the need, but it's remarkable that these guys can even walk at this point. No, they don't look like they did during their prime years, but they do offer a real nostalgia blast.

The independent circuit gobbles up these legends, knowing they'll attract older fans who want to relive childhood memories. Squint your eyes, get caught up in the nostalgia and you may just believe it's 1988 all over again, Jim Duggan has just won the Royal Rumble, and you're about to launch into chants of 'USA'...

10. Jerry Lawler (67)

Jerry Lawler
Instagram/@realjerrylawler

Don't expect to see Jerry Lawler in a WWE ring any time soon. After 'The King' suffered a heart attack at ringside during Raw in late-2012, the promotion are understandably hesitant to put him in matches, but that doesn't mean you can't see the legend wrestle elsewhere.

Once he recovered from his heart issues, Lawler resumed his active wrestling career in his native Memphis, Tennessee and still works matches on the independent scene away from the old-school territory style of the organisation. In fact, Jerry's next big match is scheduled this coming September for Big Time Wrestling.

At 67 years old, Lawler is still surprisingly sprightly. His ring style was never the quickest anyway (remember all those jokes Jim Ross would make on commentary during the '90s about Jerry once performing a dropkick?), so he can still give longtime fans what they want to see.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.