There have been some iconic retirement matches and, more recently, Sting's farewell in AEW at Revolution 2024 The event was an example of how to pull off “one last game” perfectly. However, things don't always necessarily go according to plan and retirement games can fail completely.
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Below we'll cover the retirement games of some of the industry's biggest and best legends, as these are the games that disappoint the most due to the high expectations that come with them. When a lower card wrestler has a bad retirement match, no one cares too much, but fans expect the very best from icons of the sport. This includes some of the biggest names out there WWE, WCW, and elsewhere, and their failed retirement games.
Kurt Angle's retirement was universally hated
Baron Corbin was the worst choice for Angle's final match
Match result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Baron Corbin defeated Kurt Angle | WWE WrestleMania 35 | April 7, 2019 |
Fans thought there had to be a twist at WrestleMania when Kurt Angle was supposed to face Baron Corbin in his retirement fight, but nothing was changed and Angle wrestled Corbin on the biggest stage.
The game wasn't terrible per se, but the fans didn't care about what was going on and everything was kept very simple. It was lethargic, boring, and the worst choice imaginable for WWE given the backlash fans threw Corbin's way.
Triple H's retirement match wasn't even “a match”
An unsanctioned fight ended Triple H's career
Match result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Triple H vs. Randy Orton ended in a no contest | WWE RAW |
Triple H's career was coming to an end, but he always managed to keep himself in good shape to have a solid match. However, His last action took place during the ThunderDome eratook on Randy Orton in a terrible Unsanctioned Fight that ended with Bray Wyatt shenanigans.
This wasn't the ideal way for a legend to have his final match, but due to his health issues, Triple H will not be returning for one final fight in retirement.
Randy Savage's TNA run was unforgettable
Savage's last match in TNA was bad
Match result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Randy Savage, Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles defeated Jeff Jarrett, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall | TNA turning point 2004 | 12/05/2004 |
Randy Savage hadn't wrestled for four years after his last appearance in WCW, but he returned to the ring in 2004 to compete in TNA… and it wasn't great. It was an all-star match as Savage teamed with AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy to take on Jeff Jarrett, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, but the mix of tired veterans and classic bad TNA booking didn't work.
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The match was anchored by Styles and Hardy and Savage's contribution was very limited.
The Undertaker's final in-ring match was terribly exciting
The Undertaker's “real” retirement match was not good at all
Game result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Undertaker wins Tuwaiq Gauntlet | WWE Super ShowDown 2020 | February 29, 2020 |
Although The Undertaker had a farewell cinematic spectacle at WrestleMania 36, his last real in-ring match came at Super ShowDown 2020, when he appeared in the Tuwaiq Trophy Gauntlet.
The match itself was pretty chaotic, with R-Truth defeating several top stars before AJ Styles emerged victorious. The Undertaker came out and crushed Styles in a terrible booking call. This will forever be Undertaker's last in-ring match, and it was not a memorable experience.
Bret Hart competed in a comedy tag team match
A great guy had a terrible RAW farewell
Match result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Bret Hart and John Cena defeated Alberto Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez | WWE RAW | September 12, 2011 |
Bret Hart's return to the ring in 2010 saw him compete in several matches in WWE that meant very little, and they were barely matches as Hart was incapable of taking jabs or much punishment.
His last match came in 2011, when he teamed with John Cena to face Alberto Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez in a rushed comedy tag team match on RAW. For Hart, it wasn't a great end to a legendary career.
Fans are trying to forget Shawn Michaels' last match ever
Michael's last match was a complete disaster and one of the worst matches of all time
Game result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Shawn Michaels & Triple H defeated Undertaker & Kane | WWE Crown Jewel 2018 | November 2, 2018 |
Shawn Michaels had a perfect retirement match in 2010… and then returned for one final fight in 2018… and it was a travesty.
Michaels teamed with Triple H to take on Undertaker and Kane in a winner-take-all match. There were multiple mishaps, real injuries and more downpoints that resulted in this being one of the most horrific spectacles of all time. Fans try to forget that Michaels ever returned for one final WWE match.
The ultimate warrior passed it in his last match
Warrior had a forgotten retirement game with Orlando Jordan
Game result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Ultimate Warrior defeated Orlando Jordan | NWE Summer Tour: Return Of The Warrior | June 25, 2008 |
A whole decade later his final match against Hulk Hogan in WCW (which wasn't good), Warrior returned one final time for a match against Orlando Jordan at an NWE event in Spain.
An aged warrior and Jordan engaged in a terrible battle that was slow and boring, and although Jordan did his best, it was impossible to hide how poor it was. Warrior was devastated and fought his way through the match. Luckily he didn't wrestle again after that.
Vince McMahon's last game was one of the worst in history
McMahon has never looked more like an old man
Game result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Vince McMahon defeated Pat McAfee | WWE WrestleMania 38 Sunday | March 4, 2022 |
Vince McMahon was never a great in-ring performer, but his ability to “sports entertain” helped him get through. This wasn't possible when he entered the ring at WrestleMania 38 at over 70 years old.
McMahon looked very old and decrepit as he took on Pat McAfee in an impromptu squash match that was painfully difficult to watch. It will go down as one of the worst WrestleMania matches of all time.
Andre The Giant's final game was difficult to watch
The legendary giant was ill in his final years
Game result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Andre The Giant, Giant Baba and Rusher Kimura defeated Haruka Eigen, Masanobu Fuchi and Motoshi Okuma | AJPW Real World Tag League, Night 19 | December 4, 1992 |
For several years, Andre The Giant's career came to an end due to a series of health problemsbut that didn't stop him from wrestling. His last match was in All Japan Pro Wrestling and it's a tough time.
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It was very sad to see Andre fight in the ring, especially considering how much pain he was in during that time. He really should have quit many years before that terrible farewell game.
Ric Flair's last match was an incredibly bad spectacle
This whole event was a mess
Game result | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
Ric Flair & Andrade defeated Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal | JCP Ric Flair's last match | July 31, 2022 |
Ric Flair has had more than one “final match”, most recently returning to the ring in 2022, at an event where his retirement was discussed. Flair was well into his 70s at this point and looked like a walking corpse as he attempted to create a match alongside Andrade, Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal.
Flair fainted twice during the match due to dehydration and also pretended to have a heart attack due to “heat.” Anyone involved should be beyond ashamed.
