10 Worst Ever Wrestling Retirements
8. Matt Hardy (WWE Raw)
WWE's message was loud and clear as defeat to Edge in an exciting ladder match forced Matt Hardy to leave Monday Night Raw for beleaguered B-show Smackdown following their emotional 2005 rivalry.
Despite 'The Rated-R Superstar' stealing his girlfriend in real life, then dismantling him in their first encounter at Summerslam two months prior, Matt was still unable to gain the conclusive and consequential victory over his hated foe.
The matches had followed Matt's public real-life firing from the company earlier in the year, as WWE showed little sympathy for the wronged party after he exposed Edge and Lita's nefarious romance on his personal website.
In real terms, the situation had accelerated Edge's ascent as a heel more than many thought possible, with crowds having a very real reason to despise the up-and-comer for the first time since his laboured 2004 turn.
This spelled disaster for Matt, who was made to look incompetent at every stage of the rivalry right to the last. The bad guys won, and won and won.
Trapped in the ropes by his former fiancee, he was forced to watch as Edge claimed his 'Money in the Bank' briefcase hanging from the ceiling, banishing Hardy from their lives and into Smackdown midcard obscurity.