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Triple H is still used whenever WWE needs himFather ‘Time’ is the one opponent that won’t stay down. He’s bigger than The Big Show, stronger than Mark Henry and tougher than John Cena. Despite who faces him, he always wins. But there have been many Superstars over the years that have knocked him back on his heels.It’s no easy task, of course, as the business of professional wrestling is a hard life to live. Constant bumps, concussions, cuts, bruises, broken bones, fatigue and stress are part of the job. Unlike athletes in other sports, wrestlers don’t have the advantage of a head to toe pad or protective equipment to keep them safe. Being a wrestler ages a man like nothing anyone can imagine.But the love of the game is enough to make guys want to keep pushing themselves and sometimes that’s enough to stop time.These are the men that turned back the clock, the ones that recognized their age but not their limitations. These are the ones that lost 20 years the moment they stepped in front of roaring crowds that couldn’t wait to see them in the ring again. These are the stars that will forever be known as timeless and their youthful runs, legendary. ‘Father Time’ may indeed conquer the day, but he’s lost some matches along the way.
#5 Ricky Steamboat
Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat was known for his physical conditioning as much as he was his work in the ring. He only got better with age and looked as good the day he retired as he did when he came in.
The Dragon did it all during his career and had nothing left to prove. So when he came back to the ring in 2009, fans were legitimately curious. What would he look like? Would he still have it in him?
The answer was yes to both questions. The then 56-year old Steamboat had heat with Chris Jericho and worked him in a trio of matches that included WrestleMania 25 in Texas. Fans sat back and watched as one of the greatest the industry had ever known stepped into the ring and turned back the clock like no one before him.
Ricky was on his game, he was quick on his feet and fans got more than they expected. Steamboat’s mini comeback did not last long before he returned to his job as a road agent for WWE.
But when he was done, fans knew they had seen something special and the fact that it came from such a beloved veteran made it even more important. Ricky still had it and he went out on top with his head up. He delivered in every way and gave fans everything he had.
#4 Triple H
Triple H is less than part-timer so that has a lot to do with the fact that when he’s in the ring, he’s still getting the job done. He’s able to heal up, take it easy and keep himself from taking any more of a beating than he should. WWE may not be using him full time anymore, but Hunter is indeed still ‘The Game’.
He remains the ring general he was back during his prime. When fans see him, they expect the man in charge, the guy calling the shots and fully confident in his ability to do so. That is precisely what they get with him today as he is still very much capable of doing what he did 15 years ago in the ring. The only difference now is that he’s not really answering to the boss as much, as he is the boss.
Hunter has elevated to a position of power and his character has remained relevant because of it. Now, ‘The Cerebral Assassin’ only gets his hands dirty when absolutely necessary and when that happens, Hunter is definitely on his game.
At age 46, Triple H not only looks good, he looks impressive. His commitment to staying in shape is obvious and it pays off every time he steps into the ring. If WWE changed plans suddenly and needed a veteran on TV for the short term, Triple H could step in and more than make it work.
#3 Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho does not age. The 20-year-old that jumped off the top rope back in the day also jumped off a steel cage at age 43 and looked better than ever before.
Jericho has found the fountain of youth, which has facilitated his comeback, year after year. The only thing that has really changed other than his full-time status has been his win/loss record, which is filling up with one defeat after another.
Y2J may indeed be transitioning into a veteran role and giving back to the company, but he still looks amazing for a guy his age. Beating an overweight and lazy Chris Jericho would mean nothing but that’s not a cause for concern as Chris is taking care of himself in every way possible.
Jericho’s pace was never turbocharged like Rey Mysterio or daredevil-esque like Jeff Hardy; he’s always been balanced on the mat and in the air. That is surely a major reason why he’s lasted as long as he has. He’s still capable of working anyone in the locker room and he can do so while looking half his age.
Chris is a crowd favorite and when he’s on the card, fans want to see the old Y2J both on the mic and in the ring. That’s exactly what he delivers and he does it every time he steps through the ropes.
#2 Sting
Sting is currently on the shelf with no timetable concerning his return. Fans are disappointed and legitimately concerned for The Icon and his health. But what many are not talking about is just how good he looked against Seth Rollins.
Sting fit right in with the champ. He took every bump like a pro and worked the match like a man would do half his age. His WrestleMania bout against Triple H was good but ended up being a slower paced encounter. This match proved he can still go and that too at a great pace.
The man that once carried WCW reminded fans all over the world of just how good he is and also schooled everyone on just how much he has left in the tank.
The fans have roared “You still got it” for Sting in WWE and TNA as well and it was true on both the occasions. Fans may not have known what to expect from Sting when he came to WWE, but he delivered everything that company wanted and then some. Not bad for a 56-year old veteran.
He was a viable challenger to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship because of who he is but he would have been a believable champion because of how potent he is in the ring. Sting definitely still has it and if good luck swings his way, he will be able to come back and prove it one more time.
#1 Goldust
Goldust never won the World Championship and was never truly defined as a top guy.
But that didn’t stop him from living his character and entertaining fans every time he was on camera. Dustin Rhodes understood what it meant to get over and look good in doing it. He also knew how to take care of himself in order to make that happen.
Very few guys can say they looked better the last few years of their career than they did the beginning. Age becomes a factor, everything slows down and eventually, the differences become painfully obvious to everyone watching. But for Goldust, the exact opposite is true. Yes, he looked good during The Attitude Era and yes he looked good since then but he never looked as impressive as he did the past few years.
Goldust turned back the clock, he looked 20 years younger than his 46 years and fans had a blast watching him. He mixed it up with guys half his age at times and he more than held his own in the ring.
Fans are still talking about the impact he made next to his brother Cody and the truth is Goldust can be very proud of how his career has panned out. If he never worked another match, he could retire happily and fans would always remember him for the way he went out. But if he wants to come back, he surely can and would likely look as good as he did when he left.
Goldust took a beating during his career, but he kept on going and got out of it. He also somehow managed to get younger as he did, which is a wonder.
