5 WWE legends who won their last-ever match before retiring

Wrestling superstars – whether they be from WWE or other promotions – will all face the inevitable prospect of stepping inside the squared circle for the last time. A wrestler’s final match can be as important as their debut, as this encapsulates their legacy and contribution to the sport that they are passionate about.

Their final in-ring moments have been captured and documented over the years for their fans to appreciate long after they have already ridden into the sunset. Numerous matches have been memorable, which is a fitting send-off for these retiring wrestlers. Sadly, though, some have just become footnotes in pro wrestling history.

Memorable or not, one thing’s certain – whatever they did to elevate professional wrestling is forever etched within the minds of every fan of the sport. Here are five legendary WWE Superstars who won their retirement matches.

#5. WWE Legend The Ultimate Warrior

The Ultimate Warrior entered the then-WWF in the late 1980s and quickly rose to fame due to his intense ring entrances and commentary. Warrior captured the imaginations of fans with his intensity and battled fellow legends like Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant.

His final match took place in 2008 with Nu-Wrestling Evolution in Barcelona, Spain. That’s 10 years after his last match at WCW’s Halloween Havoc.

He faced former WWE United States Champion Orlando Jordan for the promotion’s World Heavyweight Championship. Warrior won the match, but after thanking the fans, he immediately vacated the title.

#4. Chyna

WWE Hall of Famer Chyna was billed by the promotion as The Ninth Wonder of the World due to her impressive physique. She was a founding member of D-Generation X and the only female wrestler within the company to capture the Intercontinental Championship.

Chyna’s last-ever match was in 2011 at TNA’s Sacrifice event. She teamed up with Kurt Angle as the two were up against the husband-and-wife tandem of Jeff and Karen Jarrett in a Mixed Tag Team Match.

Despite the limited in-ring time of the match, she and the former Olympian managed to take the win.

#3. Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan – despite the controversy that has plagued him in recent years – has been deemed by wrestling pundits to be the biggest attraction in the history of professional wrestling.

The Hulkster’s match against another wrestling legend, Andre the Giant, in 1988 was a prime example of this as millions of viewers tuned in to watch them go at it.

Hogan’s final match took place in 2012 at a TNA house show in Manchester, England. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer teamed up with Sting and James Storm to defeat Bully Ray, Bobby Roode, and Kurt Angle in a six-man tag team match.

He made numerous appearances in both TNA and WWE in the years that followed. However, he has not been involved in a proper match ever since.

There were rumors that Hogan would come out of retirement to participate in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale at WrestleMania 36, though it was said to be scrapped due to the global health pandemic.

#2. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Another WWE Legend who snagged a win before finally calling it quits is Stone Cold Steve Austin. Similar to The Rock, there’s also some technicality to this as The Texas Rattlesnake’s initial retirement match was with none other than The Brahma Bull himself. This was during WrestleMania 19 in 2003 where The Rock defeated Austin in a singles match.

Austin also made several in-ring appearances in the years after and even got physical in some of them. At WrestleMania 38, however, The Texas Rattlesnake had a one-off match against Kevin Owens after the latter disrespected the former’s home state of Texas, which is where the event took place.

Austin’s signature Stunner finisher put an end to the match, which was his first in over 19 years.

#1. The Undertaker

The Undertaker has undergone numerous persona switches during his career, from being a Deadman to a motorcycle-riding bada** and back. In his last match, he unleashed his final persona where he incorporated his Deadman and Biker gimmicks as well as his real persona, Mark Calaway (he should have included that Mean Mark identity of his as well).

Dubbed the Boneyard Match, this took place at WrestleMania 36 against AJ Styles. Such a match was a first and could be the last of its kind since this was done amid the health scare that was brought on by the pandemic.

The cinematic battle between The Undertaker and Styles was masterfully done and was highly praised by both wrestling critics and fans.

Their back-and-forth slugfest lasted for over 20 minutes, and despite getting some help from Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, Styles was still beaten (and buried) by The Undertaker, who captured his 25th WrestleMania win.