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Several WWE Superstars have retired over the past few years. The Undertaker, for example, hung up his boots in 2020 after defeating AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36. Triple H also announced his retirement from in-ring action earlier this year due to health issues.
While The Undertaker and Triple H's retirements are probably well-known to the WWE Universe, some wrestling fans may not know that other former superstars have also hung up their boots.
Here are five former WWE Superstars you may not know have retired.
#5. Former WWE Tag Team Champion Damien Sandow
After competing for a couple of years on the independent circuit, Aaron Stevens (fka Damien Sandow) joined WWE in 2003. He spent about four years with the company before getting released in August 2007.
Stevens then competed for nearly three years on the independent circuit before returning to Vince McMahon's company in 2010. His second run lasted about six years, during which he won the Tag Team Titles once alongside The Miz. Nevertheless, the company let him go again in May 2016.
Since his departure, Stevens has wrestled in other promotions, including IMPACT Wrestling and NWA. However, he recently retired from in-ring action after his defeat against Trevor Murdoch at NWA Alwayz Ready. The 39-year-old expressed his regret at never becoming a world champion in a backstage interview. He also confirmed that his fight against Murdoch was his final match.
#4. Former Women's Champion Victoria
In 2000, Victoria started to appear on WWE television. She then spent about nine years in Vince McMahon's company, during which she became one of the top female competitors on the roster. The 51-year-old won the Women's Championship twice before leaving the company in 2009.
Following her departure, Victoria joined IMPACT Wrestling. She wrestled in the promotion for nearly four years. She won the Knockouts Championship five times and the Knockouts Tag Team Titles once. However, IMPACT Wrestling released her from her contract in July 2013.
Victoria also wrestled on the independent circuit between 2011 and 2019. Her final match came in September 2019 when she defeated Melina Perez to capture the MORE Wrestling Women's Title. The former Women's Champion then retired from in-ring action.
Last year, Victoria made a surprise one-off return to WWE when she participated in the Women's Royal Rumble Match. In an interview with The Wrestling Chatter, she disclosed that she would like to face Charlotte Flair, Natalya, and Mickie James if she ever returns to the ring.
#3. Marc Copani
In 2004, Marc Copani (fka Muhammad Hassan) debuted on the WWE main roster, playing a Middle Eastern heel character. The company had reportedly planned to make him the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history. The plan was changed due to public criticism of Copani's controversial gimmick. WWE took Copani off television due to pressure from UPN. He was sent back into the developmental territory and released from his contract in 2005.
Following his departure, Copani decided to retire from professional wrestling because he felt heartbroken, as he told Syracuse.com.
"I was heartbroken. I put everything I had into the WWE, and had it all taken away from me. I just withdrew from wrestling all together," Copani said.
Since then, Copani has wrestled only a few times at some charity events. Meanwhile, he is currently the principal of Fulton Junior High School in Fulton, New York.
#2. Former Light Heavyweight Champion Gillberg
Between 1991 and 1994, Gillberg competed in Vince McMahon's company. He then wrestled for a few years on the independent circuit before returning to WWE in 1998.
Gillberg then adopted his famous gimmick, which saw him play a parody of then-WCW star Goldberg. He also became the longest reigning Light Heavyweight Champion in history. However, the 63-year-old left the company again in 2000.
Following his departure, Gillberg returned to the independent circuit. He competed for two more decades before retiring in 2020 after defeating James Ellsworth to capture the ACW Light Heavyweight Title at ACW Funny Equals Money.
Gillberg made a one-off return to the squared circle last november. He teamed up with Prince Akkanatan to face Joe Scott & Rocky Jones at an ECPW event. However, he and his partner lost the bout. Over the past two decades, Gillberg has also made several sporadic appearances in WWE.
#1. Lars Sullivan
Lars Sullivan signed a WWE developmental contract and reported to the Performance Center nine years ago. In 2017, he made his televised debut on NXT. Two years later, he made his main roster debut attacking Kurt Angle on Monday Night RAW.
Over the next few weeks, Sullivan attacked several other superstars, including Rey Mysterio and The Hardy Boyz. However, he later sustained a knee injury that took him out of action for several months.
Although he returned in October 2020, Sullivan only competed in two matches. He defeated Jeff Hardy and Shorty G, before the company granted him his release in January 2021. In an interview with Fightful Select, the 34-year-old disclosed that he told the company that he was retiring from professional wrestling due to his ongoing anxiety issues.
