Thunder Struck: Retirement Statement
Posted by TWV Guest Columnists
on 10/24/2006
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Guest Column By Joe Thunder
What does retirement mean for professional wrestlers? Why would someone wrestle after being inducted into the Hall of Fame? Why do wrestlers keep coming back to companies to throw their bodies on the line even as they get older? Welcome to today's Thunder Struck where I would like to discuss a few cases of wrestlers who call it quits early in their career and some that keep coming back for more.
Wrestlers have been known to retire for a number of reasons. Sometimes life on the road becomes too difficult for their body to take and they just need to slow down and live a normal paced life. This often occurs when one is too injured to continuously travel on a daily basis and deal with the typical hectic and brutal schedule that goes along with being a professional wrestler. The most recent example of this situation would have to be Kurt Angle's WWE release and jump to TNA. Kurt was banged up and was tired of the insanity of what he was doing for a living. He decided that a lighter schedule would be best for himself and his family, which has turned out to be a pretty good move for our Olympic hero. Angle is setting himself up for a terrific feud with TNA's most talented athlete, Samoa Joe. An eventual Pay Per View match between these two will be history in the making for TNA wrestling and their rise to the top of sports entertainment, with the best part of all of this being that Kurt has time to recover and rest between matches as TNA is utilizing him in the best of ways by not having him compete each and every week.
Due to circumstances beyond their control, sometimes wrestlers are forced into early retirement. There is little doubt in my mind that Bret Hart would still be wrestling had the inexperience of Bill Goldberg not landed against the side of Hart's skull at the 1999 StarrCade Pay Per View. Bret Hart was a talented wrestler who could put on incredible match after incredible match. Unfortunately for Bret, Vince screwed him out of everything and practically forced him into World Championship Wrestling. Had Vince not forced Bret out, Bret would have never been put into a main event contest with a guy who had very little wrestling knowledge. The irony of Bret being in a match with the inexperience of Goldberg is so blatant that it makes me sick to think about the consequences that resulted. Bret Hart is known for, and takes pride for, being a wrestler who never caused another wrestler serious injury, and to think that his career was ended early because of something he worked so hard to prevent for so many years is absolutely outrageous.
Wrestlers stay active in the ring for many years beyond what most consider being the prime of their career. The best example to date would have to be Ric Flair. Despite his arrogance and despite the way he has spit on people over the years, Ric Flair can still go week in and week out. Flair really showed what it takes to be a big time player after leaving his WrestleMania ladder match hurt and then coming back out as soon as possible. Granted, it might have been better for him to finish the match and then get checked out, but the fact that he had the nerve to come back to the ring after taking such a beating really showed something to a lot of fans. Ric did a lot for the business early in his career, most of which is accredited to his NWA and early WCW glory days, but it can honestly be said that right now Ric is still willing to go to any length to please the fans on a constant basis. The most recent example of this would have to be when Ric took on Mick Foley at Summerslam. This match, by far, was one of Ric's best in a very long time. The two wrestlers beat the hell out of each other for the sole purpose of putting on the best possible show for Boston fans. It is doubtful that we will see another superstar like Ric Flair put on this sort of match again anytime soon.
When a man is inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, what else does he have left to prove? Apparently for Hulk Hogan, he still has much to show the world of wrestling. The Hulkster has been in the Hall of Fame for nearly two years and has been in several matches since then. Obviously Hulk isn't in the best form of his life right now and the discussion of his final match has been frequent in many online forums. Though not without some argument and controversy, Hulk is considered to be the greatest wrestling entertainer of all time. He has beaten all the greats and has only put over those who viewed to be as great, if not greater, than himself. A final career match with the Big Show at WrestleMania 23 would be classic, especially considering that it would be the 20th anniversary of Hogan's bodyslam of Andre the Giant at the 3rd WrestleMania. In my opinion, there is no better way for a man who has done so much for the industry to say goodbye than to go out in a way that resembles something as big as when he first broke out in the business. Unfortunately for Hulk, as we all know, he is not exactly in the best shape of his life. His match at Summerslam last year against Shawn Michaels required major back treatment before and after. One can only wonder how much worse it must have been this year when fighting Randy Orton. If Hogan can make it to WrestleMania 23 for a match, there is no doubt that it will be his final time in the ring. Hulk is still in the Hall of Fame, yet he is still willing to prove himself to his loyal fans from all generations.
As you can see, there are no definitive guidelines for how a wrestler is supposed to end his career. There is nothing specific stating that they can collect a certain amount of money at a certain age or that they have to retire by a certain age. There is also nothing to stop a wrestler from competing until the day he dies; this is theoretical, anyway. Some are forced out too early in their careers, while others choose to end their careers early to just take the time to enjoy whatever life they choose to live outside of wrestling. Some want to stay with the business forever because of their passion for it and all they have contributed to it and all that they feel they can still contribute. The clearest thing about all of this is that you can see ones the perspective more clearly and easily when they make decisions about their career. Until next time, you have been Thunder Struck.
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