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Due to the nature of professional wrestling, WWE Superstars can have longer careers than other athletes. While soccer and basketball players usually wind down in their mid-30s, pro wrestlers often come into their prime at that age and can continue to perform at a high level into their 40s and 50s.
Here are five WWE Superstars who got better with age:
#5 Former WWE Champion Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho has managed to reinvent himself over a career spanning three decades and remains one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling. During his tenure with WWE, Jericho mastered the art of altering his gimmick just as he was growing stale.
In 2008, Jericho shed his Y2J persona and portrayed a heel character reminiscent of Nick Bockwinkel. He notably had a great program with Shawn Michaels, which won Pro Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's "Feud of the Year" award. The Observer also named him "Wrestler of the Year" in 2008 and 2009.
In 2016, Chris Jericho introduced "The List of Jericho" which instantly connected with the audience and made him one of the highlights of Monday Night RAW. He also struck up an alliance with Kevin Owens. To nobody's surprise, they had one of the best storylines of the year which included a memorable angle where Owens turned on Jericho during the "Festival of Friendship."
When he was 47 years old, Jericho returned to NJPW in 2017 to face Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12. The old war horse proved that he hadn't lost a step and had the first five-star match of his career with Omega. The bout proved to be the start of a new chapter in his career, one that would lead him away from WWE.
The Demo God stunned the world and signed with All Elite Wrestling in 2019. He went on to become the inaugural AEW World Champion. Jericho did a stellar job as the face of the company and legitimized the title before dropping it to Jon Moxley at Revolution 2020.
#4 WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry
Mark Henry made his WWE debut when he was 24 years old. While he was always talented, it took him several years to realize his potential. Despite showing glimpses of promise, Henry only established himself as a top star during his "Hall of Pain" run.
In July 2011, a little after his 40th birthday, he smashed The Big Show's leg with a steel chair and announced that he had inducted the giant into the "Hall of Pain." This marked the beginning of an incredible stretch where the former Olympian was one of the most intimidating heels in WWE.
He won his first World Heavyweight Championship from Randy Orton and ran roughshod over the SmackDown roster. Henry admitted that this was the period of his career when he had finally grasped the nuances of professional wrestling and applied them to his character.
He eventually dropped the title to The Big Show at TLC 2011 but couldn't follow up due to a knee injury. His next moment of brilliance was in June 2013 when he interrupted John Cena to deliver a touching retirement speech before laying out the then WWE Champion.
The fans were so impressed by the promo that they were ready to see Henry win the title from Cena, but the company decided against pulling the trigger.
#3 Six-time WWE Champion Hulk Hogan
One of the biggest stars in professional wrestling history, Hulk Hogan was WWE's top babyface in the '80s as the company enjoyed one of the most prosperous eras in its history. Hogan crossed over into the mainstream and captivated fans all over the United States.
He then went to WCW and turned heel, joining the Outsiders and forming the nWo. The storyline was so strong that the New World Order became the most profitable stable in history and ushered in another boom period. At one point, Nitro trumped RAW in the ratings for 83 consecutive weeks.
Once WCW was acquired by WWE, Hogan - then 48 years of age - returned to the promotion where he first became an icon. He faced The Rock in a clash for the ages at WrestleMania 18. The two legends put on a classic that was arguably the best match of Hogan's career.
At the following year's WrestleMania, Hulk Hogan wrestled Vince McMahon in a Street Fight which managed to exceed expectations.
#2 13-time WWE Champion John Cena
From the moment he set foot in OVW, John Cena's trainers were convinced that he was destined for stardom in WWE. He floundered for a little while on the main roster but soon found his footing as The Doctor of Thuganomics. Cena then enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top, winning the WWE Championship from JBL at WrestleMania 21.
But as he was being given his monster push, the West Newbury native wasn't the most polished in-ring performer. His matches didn't live up to expectations and the hardcore fans started to turn on him. During a feud with Kurt Angle in 2006, Cena was even subjected to "You can't wrestle!" chants.
Over the years, he developed into a much better worker and even had a five-star match with CM Punk at Money in the Bank 2011. However, his best stretch of in-ring performances came in 2015 when he would defend the United States Championship in an open challenge each week. He had incredible bouts with the likes of Kevin Owens, Dean Ambrose, and Cesaro.
#1 Four-time WWE Champion The Undertaker
While The Undertaker was always incredibly mobile for someone his size, he was constrained by his character at the start of his WWE run. His in-ring style was much more measured and his movements were reminiscent of an undead creature from a horror film.
Some of the early Streak matches against the likes of Jimmy Snuka, Giant Gonzalez, King Kong Bundy and Jake Roberts were largely forgettable. The Phenom eventually started to expand his arsenal and became one of the most reliable in-ring workers in WWE.
In fact, The Undertaker had his best WrestleMania matches when he was in his mid-40s. He had the best match on the card for five consecutive years, from 2009-2013, when he wrestled Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and CM Punk.
Even though he eventually held on for too long, The Undertaker managed to end on a good note. The Boneyard match with AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 was a pleasant surprise and found the perfect balance between elaborate action sequences and larger-than-life elements.
