for years, WCW was WWE's biggest rival. The company managed to bring the fight to the WWE and even achieved better ratings for a longer period of time. WCW had a roster full of talent. Sting, DDP, Booker T and others were some of the best to ever step into the ring. Although WCW no longer exists, its legacy remains.
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In professional wrestling, it takes time for certain wrestlers to know when to stop. Some can ride off into the sunset and their legacy will be fondly remembered. However, there are others who simply never knew when to stop and their legacies took a hit. These are some names from WCW that have been around for far too long.
Fans are getting tired of Chris Jericho
“The Learning Tree” angered fans
- Jericho was with WCW from 1996 to 1999.
- He currently wrestles for AEW.
- He is the current ROH World Champion.
At the top of the list is someone who many fans get increasingly annoyed with over time. At the time of writing, Chris Jericho is the current ROH World Champion. At this point in his career, there is no reason for him to win another world title.
Early in his AEW start, it made sense for Jericho to become the first AEW World Champion to help the company. But Jericho's actions have seemed boring for a while now. While it has always been praised for its ability to reinvent itself, The Learning Tree didn't work at all.
Vader wrestled well into the 2010s
He was a dominant competitor in WCW
- Vader was a three-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
- He wrestled for WWE, WCW and NJPW.
- His last game was in 2017.
Vader was one of the biggest monster heels during his time as an in-ring competitor. He dominated the competition in the 1980s and 1990s. However, as a new era of professional wrestling began in the 2000s, Vader struggled to find a place to adapt to.
In the latter part of Vader's career, he was mostly brought into companies for one-off appearances. He continued to wrestle in the 2010s, but by then his best years in the ring were long behind him. The last match Vader ever competed in was in 2017. He died the following year.
Terry Funk wrestled for 50 years
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Funk competed all over the world
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- Funk started wrestling in the 1960s.
- He has fought for countless promotions.
- His last game was for BTW.
Of all the wrestlers on this list, Terry Funk was the name that wrestled longer than any of them. Funk debuted in 1965 and wrestled for almost 50 years. Even though he took a break every now and then, he always found his way back to the business.
Funk competed in countless different promotions including WWE, WCW, ECW, TNA, NJPW and more. During this time his name received various awards. He fought his last fight for BTW in 2017.
Scott Steiner still makes some appearances
His last wrestle took place in 2023
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- Scott Steiner was a multiple-time WCW Champion.
- He wrestled for WWE and TNA in the 2000s.
- He occasionally wrestles on the indies.
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Scott Steiner is one of the few names from WCW still scheduled to appear today. In WCW, Steiner dominated in both tag team and singles competition. He was an accomplished wrestling competitor. However, over the years, Steiner's quality in the ring declined.
While Steiner was able to put together some solid matches in TNA in the early 2010s, in recent years there has been a significant decline in the quality of the matches he can deliver. He mostly appears in the independent scene.
Injuries plagued Kevin Nash
Post-WCW was hard for “Big Sexy”
- Nash suffered numerous injuries in the latter part of his career.
- He was a former TNA Champion.
- He was part of the Main Event Mafia.
Kevin Nash made history when he moved from WWE to WCW. As a founding member of the nWo, he contributed to the takeover of the company in several ways. Nash may not have jumped right back into pro wrestling, but in many ways his return didn't go as planned.
Nash was plagued by injuries at various points. Especially in TNA, Nash's age showed as he was no longer able to put on a match like he used to. TNA also made a lot of mistakes when it came to booking Nash for Main Event Mafia. This includes him defeating AJ Styles and becoming TNA Legends Champion. There was also Nash's role in Summer of Punk, which did more harm than good to the plot.
Fans wanted Goldberg to stick around for as long as he did
His in-ring work has declined
- Goldberg returned to WWE in 2016.
- He is a former Universal Champion.
- Fans were upset with his wins against younger talent.
Goldberg was one of the best original stars WCW ever had. He had the legendary streak and was a former WCW World Heavyweight Champion. However, when his two WWE runs came around, they struggled greatly and angered fans.
Goldberg's first appearance in WWE was plagued by poor booking. However, there was slight hope when he returned in 2016. He defeated Brock Lesnar and it was much better than their match at WrestleMania 20. But things quickly fell apart after that. Fans were upset with Goldberg winning titles against players like Kevin Owens and Bray Wyatt. There was also this match with The Undertaker at Super ShowDown. However, he has stated that he will retire in 2025.
Scott Hall's demons have derailed him
He retired in the 2010s
- Hall had problems with drug and alcohol abuse.
- He competed for TNA in the 2000s and early 2010s.
- He was a former TNA World Tag Team Champion.
Scott Hall was once a big name who ushered in new eras in both WCW and WWE. Whether as WWE Intercontinental Champion or as a member of the nWo, Hall has accomplished a lot in his career. However, the latter part of his time as a wrestler didn't go nearly as well.
Hall struggled with drug and alcohol abuse throughout his life, which contributed to his downfall in the world of professional wrestling. He wrestled into the 2010s and his skills in the ring were far from what they once were.
The fans turned against Hulk Hogan
People were tired of Hulkamania
- Hogan didn't have great matches after WCW.
- He joined TNA in 2009.
- His final match was at a TNA live event.
When Hulk Hogan took over in WCW, it was a really big deal. The night the nWo formed, everything changed in professional wrestling. However, the same cannot be said for the post-WCW portion of Hogan's career.
Hogan suffered from various medical problems that prevented him from doing much in the ring. His WWE runs in the 2000s weren't great and resulted in a lot of bad matches. His time in TNA was also a time that many fans don't look upon fondly. There are also numerous controversies and scandalsHogan stayed in business far too long.
Ric Flair should have retired years ago
WrestleMania 24 was the perfect ending
- After 2008, Flair started wrestling again in 2009.
- His last game was in 2022.
- In his last match he was knocked out twice.
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In 2008, Ric Flair had the perfect sendoff. He competed at WrestleMania 24 against Shawn Michaels in a match that was hailed by many as the last match the “Nature Boy” would ever compete in. However, that wasn't the case and several more matches followed.
Flair returned to professional wrestling in 2009. Since then, Flair's performance in the ring has diminished more and more in each fight. In TNA, Flair took part in a lot of matches that weren't great. Then there was this Ric Flair's last match show. Flair's performance with Andrade against Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett was not good. He fainted twice during the game.