8 Saddest Wrestling Retirements

Break out the tissues, because it€™s time to reflect on better days gone by. Wrestling is one of the most physical sports in the world, and the toll it takes on the body has left larger than life characters in tatters by the time they retire. This article will look back at the saddest, showcasing some of the most beloved athletes who decided to€”or in some cases, had to€”stop doing the thing they loved. Retirement is something that we all look forward to, but walking away from something you€™ve dedicated the entirety of your life to can be one of the hardest decisions to make, and one of the toughest pills to swallow. These brave gentlemen had the wherewithal to do what was best for their futures; some with grand spectacles and celebrations of their accomplishments, and some walked away into the sunset. All of them were legends, though, and brought floodgates to the tear ducts with their departures. This list excludes wrestlers who tragically passed away rather than retired, such as Owen Hart and Bruiser Brody. It also primarily focuses on the past 25 years or so, as old school wrestlers tended to out with little fanfare, which would make for a rather boring list. These eight gentlemen changed the business in one form or another, as their careers caused a ripple effect throughout the sport for generations to come, whether it be paving the way for a different type of wrestler, the utilization of weaponry in wrestling, or simply their larger-than-life personas. They are all sorely missed.