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WWE is no longer just an ordinary wrestling company; it has become a lifestyle for the wrestling fandom. The wrestling community has witnessed the rise and fall of many wrestling promotions. WWE continues to be the biggest player in the game for decades. One of the main reasons WWE remains successful is the legendary Superstars that have helped build the company. These Superstars have been immortalized in the eyes of the wrestling community.
There have been innumerable Superstars who have competed in the WWE ring, but only a few of them have gone on to become larger-than-life attractions. The diligence of these Superstars has made WWE the biggest wrestling promotion in the world. That's why these WWE Superstars went on to become legends.
Like all good things, the career of every legend must come to an end. Some of these Superstars had to retire in their prime after suffering an unfortunate injury, while others continued to wrestle for a long time before hanging up their boots.
To wrestle these larger than life stars in their final match is an honor in itself. Over the years, fans have seen many passing of the torch moments, that are not easy to be described in words. These moments beautifully showcased the legacy of these legends and created a new star in the process. So, let's take a look at five Superstars who faced these legendary WWE Superstars in their final matches.
NOTE: The list only talks about the last singles matches of these legendary wrestlers' careers.
#5 Kurt Angle puts over Baron Corbin in his final WWE match
Kurt Angle is one of the biggest Superstars in WWE history. The Olympic Gold medalist has been a part of many show-stopping technical bouts in his storied career. He is one of the few wrestlers, who has won championships with WWE, TNA, and NJPW.
WWE inducted Angle into the Hall of Fame in 2017, and he returned to in-ring action at TLC 2017 as an honorary member of The Shield. Angle went on to become a part of many memorable feuds with the likes of The Miz, Triple H, and Drew McIntyre. However, he wasn't the same anymore and nobody should've expected him to be at his age.
Angle, though, had a long feud with Baron Corbin on Monday Night RAW, and the two Superstars traded blows on many occasions. On an episode of RAW, Angle announced that he would compete in his last match at WrestleMania 35.
He faced Samoa Joe, Apollo Crews, and AJ Styles as a part of his farewell tour before he finally battled Corbin at WrestleMania. Corbin was an underwhelming choice as Angle's last opponent and the WWE Universe wasn't thrilled about their match at The Showcase of the Immortals.
After a hard-fought battle, Corbin hit Angle with the End of Days to pick up the win. The Lone Wolf's win over Angle annoyed some fans and WWE received a lot of criticism over this unpopular decision, but this was a career-defining moment for Corbin that helped establish him as one of the most despised heels on the roster.
The legendary Superstar has been a fan of Corbin's ability and he certainly made the right decision to elevate a younger talent upon his exit from the ring.
#4 Batista wrestles Triple H in his last WWE match
Batista has always been a force to be reckoned with in WWE. 'The Animal' has dominated almost every WWE Superstar in his WWE career, and Triple H was also one of them. 'The Game' and Batista share a long and intense history as Batista captured his first World title after demolishing Triple H at WrestleMania 21. But this wasn't the last time we saw these two Superstars collide in the ring.
The Batista vs Triple H match was teased at the 1000th episode of Smackdown when the former took a brutal dig at the latter. Things became even more intense after Batista laid waste to Ric Flair on his 70th birthday celebration. After weeks of mind games and verbal exchanges, the two legends were ready to settle their score at the Showcase of Immortals.
The match proved to be memorable in many ways. Both the Superstars exceeded the expectations and gave one of the best performances of the night. They made the best use of the No Holds Barred stipulation and inflicted extreme pain on each other. After 20+ minutes of sheer brutality, the match ended with Triple H hitting the Pedigree to conquer The Animal.
Batista took to Twitter and confirmed that this was the last time we would see him compete in a WWE ring. Batista always wanted to face The Game one last time, and the history between the former Evolution members came full circle at WrestleMania.
#3 Shawn Michaels' WWE career ends at the hands of The Undertaker
Shawn Michaels failed to put The Undertaker down at WrestleMania 25. Michaels was so mad at this defeat, that he was willing to do anything to face The Undertaker once again at WrestleMania.
He cost The Phenom his World Heavyweight Championship at the Elimination Chamber PPV 2010, by hitting him with a Sweet Chin Music. This sowed the seeds for another WrestleMania encounter between the two legends.
But the stakes were much higher this time, as Michaels was putting his WWE career against 'The Streak' of The Phenom. Taker and Michaels pushed each other to their respective limits. Both Taker and Michaels kicked out of each other's finishing maneuvers. Neither of the two men were ready to give up.
After trading blows for 20+ minutes, 'Taker ended Michaels' WWE career by spiking him with a Tombstone Piledriver. The career of Shawn Michaels was no more while The Streak remained intact.
This match was one of the rarest combinations of great in-ring action and deep storytelling. It was one of the most emotional moments in WrestleMania history. HBK stayed retired for almost nine years, before teaming up with Triple H to take on the Brothers of Destruction at Crown Jewel 2018.
#2 Stone Cold Steve Austin retires after battling The Rock at WWE WrestleMania 19
The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin have been a part of countless classic moments. Arguably the two biggest stars of the Attitude Era, Austin and The Rock proved to have great chemistry together.
There have been hundreds of WWE Superstars that have fallen victim to the Stone Cold Stunner. But none of them can match The Rock's hilarious sells to the iconic finisher.
The Rock and Stone Cold battled at WrestleMania 15 and WrestleMania 17. The latter witnessed probably the most shocking moment in WWE history, when Austin aligned himself with 'The Devil' Vince Mcmahon to beat The Rock. But this wasn't the end of this iconic rivalry.
WrestleMania 19 witnessed the final chapter of this legendary feud. Both the Superstars went on an absolute war on that night, and they didn't even back down from using each other's finishing moves. After an intense battle, 'The Brahma Bull' executed the Rock Bottom to pick up the victory. This was Austin's final match ever as retired due to neck injuries.
The fact that Austin's career ended at the hands of his biggest rival is ironic. Although Austin doesn't compete anymore, the WWE Universe goes crazy every time they hear the glass shattering.
#1 Undertaker buries AJ Styles in his last WWE match ever
The Undertaker is probably WWE's greatest legend ever. He has been the cornerstone of WWE for almost 30 years now. WWE has seen many changes in the last three decades, but one thing that didn't change is The Phenom.
He selflessly put his body on the line to make WWE the company it is today. He elevated the careers of Superstars like John Cena, Jeff Hardy, CM Punk, and many more. Considering the legacy of the immortal legend, he needed to end his career on a high note.
The Undertaker had been searching for a credible opponent for his retirement match for years. He was very disappointed with his dream match against Goldberg. 'Taker wanted to redeem himself by delivering a great match. His wish came true when he entered into a feud with AJ Styles.
AJ Styles is a legend and is considered one of the best wrestlers in the world. He has the ability to make any Superstar look good in the ring. That's why Styles proved to be the perfect opponent for The Deadman.
This feud was very personal as The Phenomenal One repeatedly mentioned Taker's wife Michelle McCool. Styles raised the stakes of the match by challenging Taker to a Boneyard match at WrestleMania 36. The historic dream match was made official for The Showcase of Immortals.
The dream contest proved to be a huge success, and this was Undertaker's best match in recent years. This match was also one of the best WrestleMania main events in a long time.
The OC also felt the wrath of The Undertaker's 'Unholy Trinity', and after a grueling battle, Taker buried AJ Styles in the ground to pick up the victory.
WWE later confirmed The Undertaker's retirement; the match delivered on its purpose and allowed The Phenom to finally ride off into the sunset.
