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WWE isn't the end all be all of professional wrestling, but it's how most wrestlers seem to want to make their name. With that said, the average superstar's tenure with the company isn't always long.
This list focuses on five superstars who aren't officially with WWE anymore. While some have taken an extensive hiatus and possibly moved on from pro wrestling, some are still in the business, and some may not be anymore.
These names could end up retiring from professional wrestling in 2022.
#5. Ronda Rousey - Not formally retired from WWE yet
Ronda Rousey had one of the most impactful year-long stints in WWE history. It's not a far reach to say that if it weren't for her, the women wouldn't have headlined WrestleMania just yet.
And perhaps without the first women's WrestleMania main event in 2019, we likely wouldn't have had the second at WrestleMania 37 (Night one). When she came to WWE, Ronda Rousey's impact was instant
Her debut match at WrestleMania 34 was dubbed by many as the match of the night. It wasn't surprising that just a few months later, Rousey dethroned Alexa Bliss to become the RAW Women's Champion.
Even the Evolution pay-per-view largely seemed to be centered around Ronda Rousey, although it was a historic pay-per-view. With Rousey gone, there hasn't been a second edition of Evolution.
She made it no secret that she wanted to become a mother, and that led to her WWE stint ending prematurely by two years. It was reported post-WrestleMania 37 by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Rousey's contract had only expired in 2021.
Around February 2020, a month before the pandemic era of the company began, Ronda Rousey revealed that while she enjoyed her year-long stint, she wouldn't return as a full-time star ever again:
"I did completely full-time for a year. All of the TV and as many live shows as I could. I probably worked 200 days out of the year. Most people do way more. Most people have live shows throughout the week, then go and do TV, then get to be home for a day and a half, then do it again. It's non-stop. It was so much time away from my family that I couldn't do it sustainably," said Ronda Rousey.
Stating that she could never put her family through that again, Rousey hinted at a return but wasn't sure when it would happen. It was rumored that she was going to return for WrestleMania Hollywood at So-Fi Stadium, one that was scheduled for 2021 but pushed back to 2023.
Given that Ronda Rousey is now a mother, it may increase her chances of retirement. She might have a quiet retirement next year.
#4. Bo Dallas - Inactive in WWE for one-and-a-half years before his release
Bo Dallas was surprisingly not released by WWE during the April 15th cuts in 2020. By that point, it had been half a year since he competed in the ring in Vince McMahon's promotion. He was absent throughout the Thunderdome/pandemic era in WWE and was finally released on April 15th, 2021.
Some time before his release, Dave Meltzer mentioned on WOR that he took some time off and that he was still young with a long career ahead of him:
"Last November, he decided to take some time off, and he has not been back since. He has not been released. A lot of people don't even realize he just turned 30. He's got a lot of years ahead of him if he still wants to wrestle. Axel was released by WWE. Bo Dallas has been out of action since November. I haven't heard anything about him coming back. So, either it's being kept quiet, or he's just enjoying that time off," stated Dave Meltzer.
Admittedly, given his age, Dallas is the least-likeliest superstar on this list to retire in 2022. However, he is reportedly running a family real estate business along with WWE Superstar Liv Morgan, possibly preparing for life after wrestling.
He revealed during the Highspots Wrestling Network virtual signing that he has plans to return to wrestling:
"I'm dabbling in a bunch of other things but wrestling is my passion and I'm re-finding the love for it. If I've lost any of it, I'm finding that passion all over again in my way and I'm really excited. Whatever's gonna happen next, it's gonna be bigger and better than anything I've ever done," said Bo Dallas. (H/T Cultaholic)
It still wouldn't be surprising to see him retire and take up real estate business full-time.
#3. Big Show - Is his wrestling career post-WWE going to be cut short?
Big Show goes by his real name Paul Wight these days after he finished his time with WWE. In a bit of a surprising move, Wight signed with All Elite Wrestling. While he is a future WWE Hall of Famer, the decision to jump ship was an interesting one.
His AEW contract, according to Tony Khan, gives him a few roles. One is as a commentator, one is as a host and ambassador, and the other is as a wrestler. Wight was brought into the company, seemingly with the objective of mentoring young talent behind-the-scenes.
His experience and years in WWE will ultimately prove invaluable for AEW. While we might see him wrestle on occasion, it's unlikely that he will go back to the regular schedule that he used to have.
Wight revealed that Vince McMahon called him the day his AEW signing was announced and wished him well:
"Here's the thing, Vince actually called me the day it was announced that I signed with AEW, wished me a lot of luck, agreed that I'm a big asset to AEW and thanked me for all the years I worked in WWE. There's no animosity, there's no anger, there's no dirt, so to speak. This just came down to, you know, contract negotiations and opportunities. Let's face it, over 20 years in WWE, I have done everything there is to do, in WWE. I needed a fresh start, and for me, Vince understands that and understands me as a talent, and this was an opportunity for me to do that," said Paul Wight.
However, his backstage role seems to be more of value to Tony Khan's promotion than his in-ring one, and he could quietly call it quits by 2022. Whether it means having a retirement match or not, Wight will always be a legend of the wrestling business and not just WWE.
#2. Chris Jericho - Is the multi-time WWE World Champion going to wrap up his career?
Along with Bo Dallas, Chris Jericho is the least-likeliest former WWE superstar on this list who could possibly retire in 2022. With Jericho, there have been moments where it felt as though he could keep going as long as he wants.
While that's partly true, age is eventually going to catch up to the WWE legend. With that said, Chris Jericho remains an important part of All Elite Wrestling.
When Jericho put his AEW career on the line against MJF at All Out 2021, there was a lot of speculation about his contract status. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Chris Jericho's contract runs out in early 2022. Sportskeeda Wrestling's Matt Black wrote:
"According to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Chris Jericho signed a three-year deal with All Elite Wrestling in 2019, putting his contract to be up in January of 2022."
Le Champion ultimately beat MJF to keep his career intact, but that doesn't change the fact that his contract is set to expire in just two months. With that said, Tony Khan reportedly has an option of extending the contract for the WWE legend by one more year - possibly keeping him until 2023.
However, Jericho could be looking to wind down his in-ring career before he gets to a point where people are clamoring for his retirement. Quitting while he's ahead would preserve his legacy, and it's also likely that he would have a backstage role with AEW post-retirement.
#1. Bray Wyatt - Is he done with pro wrestling post-WWE?
Bray Wyatt's status post-WWE has been kept under wraps for a while now. While there undoubtedly will have been negotiations with the likes of AEW and IMPACT Wrestling, it's still hard for many fans to imagine Wyatt outside of Vince McMahon's promotion.
For many, he appeared to be a "WWE lifer". He was a third-generation wrestler whose father is a former WWE Superstar. Not only this, but he appeared to have the potential to be a generational talent until that was squandered numerous times.
Bray Wyatt's story in the company can be summed up as unfulfilled potential. He wasn't the most proficient in-ring worker, but he had a character stronger than most on the roster - something that always gets a superstar further with fans and higher-ups.
However, creative differences meant that Wyatt was constantly frustrated, and his relationship with Vince McMahon reportedly soured. According to Fightful, it went to the point where McMahon didn't like him anymore:
"People backstage at WWE told Sean Ross Sapp that Bray Wyatt being outspoken when he felt his creative was bad strained the relationship between Wyatt and Vince McMahon. So much so to the point that some believed McMahon didn't like Wyatt anymore because of it."
While Bray Wyatt has teased making a return to the ring, the three-time world champion could quietly walk away from wrestling in 2022.
