9 Wrestlers Whose Last WWE Match Came At WrestleMania
Is there any better way to bow out of the game than at the Showcase of the Immortals?
Regardless of your profession or dream, one desire that will often stick fast is a desire to go out on top. This may not necessarily mean going out at the top of the profession, but going out on the biggest stage available in your world. In football, this could mean finishing off at a World Cup final. In cricket, it would be a series-deciding Ashes test. In professional wrestling? WrestleMania.
Over the 31 years that we've been blessed with WrestleMania, a number of performers have put in their last shift for World Wrestling Entertainment at the event. There have been a number of retirement matches, but in the wacky world of pro graps this often means approximately zilch. Only once in a blue moon does 'retirement' mean retirement, and even with this every year is accompanied by whispers of that person making a comeback.
With that in mind, here are nine performers whose last WWE match (to date) took place at WrestleMania. To add a qualifier, I'm only dealing with televised matches (live shows and dark matches do not count). I'm also not putting in anyone who made nostalgia returns for one night only, aka Jimmy Snuka and Roddy Piper at WrestleMania XXV, or even short nostalgia runs like the New Age Outlaws at WrestleMania XXX.
9. Bart Gunn - WrestleMania XV
The story of Bart Gunn and his demise in the World Wrestling Federation is a peculiar one. A serviceable journeyman throughout the majority of his career, the peak of his career was most probably a tag team run with Billy Gunn as the Smoking Gunns. All this changed in the summer of 1998, with WWF's ill-fated foray into shoot fighting.
Gunn took part in the Brawl for All tournament, a concept that came about after JBL told Vince Russo that he could beat anyone in a bar fight. Any idea that comes from bar fight claims probably shouldn't be explored further. Participation in the tournament was strictly voluntary, but the overwhelming feeling was that it would act as a way to get 'Dr. Death' Steve Williams over in the WWF.
WWF top brass didn't reckon on Bart Gunn however, who went through Williams in the second round before going on to defeat Bradshaw in the final. This was never in the plan. Gunn's reward for winning the tough guy tournament? He would go up against pro-fighter Butterbean at WrestleMania XV. 35 seconds after the bell rang, Gunn was staring at the lights. He would never work for WWF again.