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In WWE, there's nothing quite as unique as a Retirement Match. Whilst other bouts on the card may have titles and bragging rights on the line, a retirement match means a Superstar, should they come up short, will have to hang up their boots for good. It's an effective way to build some serious drama at the end of a feud if done right.
Unfortunately, even though a retirement match should have an incredible amount of tension and commitment from the WWE Universe, fans have stopped investing in them because of the number of times wrestlers have lost a retirement match only to return at another point.
Here are five WWE retirement matches that didn't exactly live up to the stipulation.
#5 Rey Mysterio vs. John 'Bradshaw' Layfield (SmackDown 2006)
When Rey Mysterio won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 22, everyone was happy. Everyone except John 'Bradshaw' Layfield. Vowing to take the title from the Ultimate Underdog, JBL was sure his size advantage would guarantee him the win, only to be thwarted by Rey in multiple matches.
Frustrated, the Wrestling God vowed to hang up his boots for good if he lost their final match on the May 26th edition of SmackDown, and though he initially won the match, Bradshaw's cheating ways were discovered, the match was re-started and Mysterio retained, forcing the affluent Texan to hang up his wrestling boots.
After over a year on commentary, Bradshaw would return to the ring in late 2007, and would become a main fixture on Monday Night RAW, before retiring again (this time seemingly for good), at WrestleMania 25 in 2009, ironically after a loss to Rey Mysterio.
#4 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker (Fully Loaded 1999)
This is an interesting one, as neither Austin's career, nor The Undertaker's was on the line. Instead, it was Vince McMahon who was risking it all. After being revealed as the Deadman's Higher Power, the First Blood match was made, where if Austin lost, he wouldn't just lose the WWF title, but would never again be able to compete for the gold, though if the Phenom lost, Vince would be gone 'forever'.
After Austin emerged victorious, McMahon was a man of his word, and left the WWF on-screen forever, if forever means about six weeks. Returning less than two months later, the newly-face Vince would even win the WWF Championship from Triple H that September, and can still be found appearing on WWE TV on occasion today.
#3 Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair (WrestleMania 24)
Ric Flair has had a career unlike any other Superstar. A star of the NWA and WCW, Flair would also make it big in the WWE but made plenty of enemies along the way. One such foe was Vince McMahon, who in late 2007 gave the edict that Flair would have to retire the next time he lost a match.
After several months, that loss came in March 2008 at the hands of Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24. It was an emotional loss fitting of the legendary Nature Boy, but it wouldn't be long until Flair would lace his boots up once again, in a forgettable run in TNA Wrestling. Though Flair has remained retired in WWE, this brief stint in TNA didn't do much to help Flair's career, but instead hurt the emotional send-off he was given at WrestleMania.
#2 The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 26)
Just two years after Shawn Michaels had retired Ric Flair, this time it was HBK's turn to ride off into the sunset. After coming up short against the Phenom at WrestleMania 25, Michaels did everything in his power to get a rematch. Costing the Undertaker the World Heavyweight title proved to be the final straw, and the two met in Phoenix, where Michaels lost and was forced to retire for good.
And for many years, Michaels was true to his word as it seemed that the Showstopper would be one of the rare Superstars to stay retired. That changed last year though, when HBK teamed with Triple H to face the Brothers of Destruction at Crown Jewel, and though it was fun to see the Heart Break Kid in the ring once again, many fans believe he shouldn't have returned at all.
#1 Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (No Way Out 2000)
When Triple H retained his WWF title against Cactus Jack at the 2000 Royal Rumble event, fans knew that the war between these two was far from over. Cactus had gotten so close to winning the title for the fourth time, and was granted another shot at No Way Out, but only if he put his career on the line.
Meeting inside Hell in a Cell, the two brought out the best of each other, though it was the Game who emerged victorious once again. Though it was a sad end to Foley's legendary career, this retirement would be very short-lived, as Foley would be brought back mere weeks later, and even competed in the Fatal Four Way main event of WrestleMania 2000, where he came up short against the Cerebral Assassin once again.
