6 Wrestlers Who Have Quit WWE In 2019
3. Goldust
This time last year, it seemed nailed-on that Dustin 'Goldust' Runnels would be gone from WWE within the year, one way or another. After three decades of punishing his body - both inside and outside the ring - double knee surgery was surely a bridge too big even for wrestling's great comeback story, now 50, to cross over.
And sure enough, the aureate assassin's absence did indeed mark the end of Goldust's glittering - if only sometimes literally - WWE career. Yet the reason for his ultimate departure was much different to the one initially foreseen.
On 21 April of this year, Runnels requested his release. Over 50 and buggered, WWE rather shortsightedly said "yes". They must have known he'd walk straight into his brother's arms over in AEW, albeit in a producer role. What they didn't know, was that he had no plans to hang up his boots, but instead swap them for an old pair of cowboy shitk*ckers, and promptly put on a bona fide five star classic against Dusty's other son at Double or Nothing.
Dustin continues to be an alarmingly relevant part of wrestling six months on thanks to his AEW alignment - and there's no hint of that ending any time soon.