Professional wrestling is a sport, and quite a demanding one. It requires great agility, stamina and, above all, dedication. However, the strain also causes numerous health problems and often leads to their premature deaths. Those who manage to get to the retirement usually live off their old fame, while only a small number of them decide to start something completely new. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best-known retired (or semi-retired) pro wrestlers with updates on where they are now.
Big Van Vader
Leon Allen White, better known as Big Van Vader is one of the most distinctive characters in pro wrestling history. He wore a red plastic mask that looked like it was carved out of a gimp suit. It gave him just the psychotic look he needed. In 2007 he retired for the first time and became a football coach. After that, he made a number of guest appearances, the last one being his encounter with Will Ospreay in August 2016. Nowadays, he puts a lot of his time into preparing his son for the ring.
Ric Flair
Ric Flair a.k.a. Nature Boy is certainly a pro wrestling veteran. He began his career back in 1972 and retired about 40 years later. During this time, the fans adored his Figure Four finisher and his exuberant in-ring persona. Flair was also constantly followed by controversy considering that he had numerous real life feuds with stars such as Bret Hart, Mick Foley, Hulk Hogan and others. He retired in 2012 out of fear for his health but continued to appear from time to time, often as a part of the storyline involving his daughter, Charlotte. In 2015 he even made a cameo in Magic Mike XXL.
Hulk Hogan
Hogan is one of those wrestling stars that at one point everyone loved. Even when his fame started to decline in the 90’s he re-imagined himself as a villainous Hollywood Hogan and won everyone back. However, in 2015 a sex tape surfaced with recordings of him making racial slurs. This resulted in WWE terminating the contract with him and severing any ties with him. Although Hogan’s begging didn’t yield any results, WWE’s new executive Triple H stated that he would consider bringing Hulk back. As with The Undertaker, we will just have to wait and see.
Mick Foley
You may know Foley by any number of names like Cactus Jack, Mankind, or Dude Love, but the genius behind them is just one. Foley started his career in 1983 and became an absolute hit with the audience for his complete commitment to the characters. Besides that, Foley is also an accomplished writer and comedian, often performing as a color commentator in wrestling matches. In 2012 he retired from WWE, but now he is working as a General Manager of WWE’s Raw. Either way, we’re just glad to see a well-known face.
Sting
Along with The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan, The Sting is probably one of the most recognizable athletes in pro wrestling. His simple black & white mask and slick hair made him something of a symbol of wrestling. He was inducted into Hall of Fame in 2016, at which point he declared his retirement. It was his desire to do one more match, but he chose not to because of health issues. After this, he disappeared from the public, but we have no doubts that we will hear from him very soon.
CM Punk
Finally, there’s CM Punk. He began his career in 1999 and performed for numerous promotions like Ring of Honor, TNA and, of course, WWE. Fans remember him as a sharp, stinging character who was always defiant and anti-establishment. He had numerous feuds with WWE management and, in 2014 he left. Even after his retirement, his disputes with Vince McMahon continued as he felt offended by WWE’s behavior. Leaving wrestling behind, Punk turned to MMA and, after training really hard, is scheduled to have his first fight on September 10 this year, at UFC 203.
What do you think about the list? Could you see some of these stars in other professions, and if so in which ones? Imagine ordering a steak from the Undertaker like it happens with the Ram in The Wrestler. Would you dare do it?
