Over the past decade, several WWE legends have retired from in-ring competition in WWE, including The Undertaker, Batista, and Kurt Angle. Multiple former superstars have also hung up their boots outside the Stamford-based company, such as Jazz and Tucker.
Meanwhile, multiple current top WWE Superstars have announced their retirement plans. While one has already embarked on his farewell tour and is set to end his in-ring career by the end of this year, another plans to retire in six years. A current champion has also disclosed his intention to end his full-time run by the time he turns 45.
Check out five current massive WWE stars who have announced the time of their retirement.
#5. AJ Styles
The Phenomenal One kicked off his wrestling career in the late 1990s. In the following few years, he appeared in several promotions, including WWE and WCW. He later spent nearly 12 years in TNA, where he became a legend of the promotion.
In 2016, AJ Styles finally joined the Stamford-based company, where he continued to have enormous success. The North Carolina native is now a Grand Slam Champion. However, the 47-year-old star’s in-ring career is close to its end, as he revealed in an interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight. The former WWE Champion disclosed that he would not be wrestling until he is 50 years old:
“I’ve thought about it a lot, much more than I should have. I should have known what I was doing by now. But it’s so hard because you enjoy it so much and I enjoy being around my friends. I keep saying that. I’ve said this and said this, but I will not wrestle at 50, I promise you that,” he said.
The Phenomenal One will turn 50 in June 2027, meaning he will retire in less than 26 months. He is currently scheduled to face Logan Paul at WrestleMania 41.
#4. Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins has been wrestling since he was only 19. He made his in-ring debut in 2004 and joined WWE six years later. He has since become one of the top superstars in the company, winning five world championships.
In a recent interview with WFAN, Seth Rollins discussed his retirement plans, revealing that he would hang up his boots when he turns 45. The former World Heavyweight Champion will turn 39 next month, meaning he only has almost six years left in his career:
“I’ll be 39 in May. You know, 45 maybe really sounds alright to me, I think. It’s kind of going to depend on what I do in the next few years as far as outside of WWE or behind the scenes in WWE. Both of those things are appealing to me. So just got to figure out what that feels like. But like my body’s definitely…I feel good right now. I feel very good,” Rollins said.
The Visionary is scheduled to headline the first night of this year’s WrestleMania as he faces CM Punk and Roman Reigns in a massive Triple Threat match.
#3. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes
Although he started wrestling in WWE at a young age, Cody Rhodes had to leave the company to advance his career. He returned in 2022 to become the new face of the Stamford-based company. The second-generation superstar currently holds the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Despite his current status in the company, The American Nightmare does not plan to continue wrestling full-time for many years to come. Instead, the 39-year-old revealed to Flagrant that he plans on retiring from full-time competition by the age of 45. Rhodes is set to turn 40 this summer, meaning he only has five years left in his full-time career:
“I’m 39 now. I feel like I can go full-time, 100%, and be the best and be at my best and be the standard until 45. I don’t know why I’ve kind of put that number in my mind. I have a three-year-old daughter. I do not want her to have a dad that can’t do a lot. And I haven’t had that problem yet. I can throw her up; I don’t want her to have a dad who doesn’t have the strength. I think about that a lot, but 45, I think for me,” he said.
Rhodes is currently scheduled to defend his title against John Cena in the main event of night two of WrestleMania 41.
#2. John Cena
Last year at Money in the Bank, John Cena made a surprise appearance to announce that he would retire in 2025. He later explained that he would have one final full-time run before ending his in-ring career by the end of 2025.
The 47-year-old superstar embarked on his farewell tour on RAW’s premiere on Netflix in January. He competed in the Men’s Royal Rumble but came up second to Jey Uso, who won the match and an opportunity to challenge Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 41. Cena then won the Men’s Elimination Chamber to earn a shot at Cody Rhodes’s Undisputed WWE Title at the Show of Shows.
Cena spent almost his whole career as a babyface. However, he recently turned heel and aligned himself with The Rock against The American Nightmare. Despite this, many believe the 16-time world champion would revert to being a fan-favorite before retiring.
#1. Carlito
Two years ago, Carlito returned to WWE after 13 years of absence. While he initially joined Rey Mysterio’s LWO, he later turned on the group. The former United States Champion is now part of another faction, The Judgment Day.
Carlito has been wrestling since the late 1990s. The Puerto Rican star recently acknowledged that he does have much time left in the squared circle. In an interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, he announced that he would not wrestle in his 50s. As he recently turned 46, the Judgment Day member is now expected to retire in the next four years:
“That’s probably not going to happen [wrestling in his 50s]. No, no, probably not. Mentally, I think [I could], but my body is probably not [going to hold up],” he said. [H/T: Fightful]
Carlito has not wrestled on TV since November, when he teamed up with Dominik Mysterio against The War Raiders.
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