When a wrestler retires, it may come on his own terms. Sometimes wrestlers spontaneously leave the ring like Shawn Michaels WWE WrestleMania 26; otherwise, you will be forced to leave due to injury.
It is somewhat customary for wrestlers to provide retirement speeches when possible. Some of these speeches describe the most emotional moments in business. This reflects on a post-retirement speech that fans will never forget.
10
Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels retired in early 2025
- Christopher Daniels began his career in 1993.
- He spent most of his career at TNA and Ring of Honor
- He currently works for AEW with his behind the scenes ability.
One of wrestling’s biggest “what-ifs” Christopher Daniels officially left wrestling in January 2025. It was in the midst of a conflict with Hangman’s Page that Daniels told both the Page and the World that he had been advised to leave the ring.
It was more of a promotion than a formal retirement speech, but still qualified. Daniels, who has been underestimated for years at the microphone, caught everyone off guard when he informed us that his 30+ year career was nearing the end.
9
Page
Page’s retirement speech was short but emotional
- Page made his in-ring debut at the age of 13.
- She started working for WWE/FCW in 2011
- She will eventually return to the AEW ring as Saraya
Page started his business at an incredibly young age. As a result, when WWE signed, she was not even allowed to drink legally in the US. After suffering a career-ending neck injury during a live event, she was forced to leave the sport for several years.
Page will provide a short but heartbreaking speech in the ring on Monday night. Her voice trembled when she informed the world of her premature retirement. Thankfully, she was able to return to the ring a few years later, but at the time we all felt a lot of sympathy for her.
8
Cart angle
Fans weren’t happy with how Kurt Angle’s retirement was handled
- Kurt Angle dealt with neck injuries throughout his entire professional wrestling career.
- He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017.
- Kurt Angle officially retired in 2019
Kurt Angle, one of the biggest ring-im performers of wrestling’s history, caused chaos in his body to ensure that fans always get the value of their money. His career lasted just 20 years, and his retirement match was a huge disappointment to fans.
When it was announced that Kurt would wrestling his final match at WrestleMania 35, speculation had ramped about who he would face. When Baron Corbin was appointed as his last enemy, it encountered a collective moan. It was his brief post-match speech that Kurt was allowed. So this ranks very low on the list.
7
Sting wound
Sting struggled with almost every major promotion throughout his career
- Sting made his professional wrestling debut in 1985.
- He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.
- He officially retired in 2024
Sting will actually retire twice, but his speech after his AEW retirement is what we count here. After he and Derby Allyn defeated the young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championship, Sting spoke to the crowd after the show aired. As he said, seeing many of them crying openly was clear how many stabs it meant to fans.
Sting was his typical serious self, but it was clear how sincere his feelings towards his fans and his peers were. It was one of the rare moments when the send-off somehow captured the size of an absolutely iconic career.
6
Steve Austin
Steve Austin’s speech came a few months after he played the final match
- Steve Austin began his career in 1989
- His final match was with WrestleMania 19 Rock until he wrestled again in 2022
- His retirement speech was given in the 2003 Survivor Series
Steve Austin will unofficially wrestletter his final match in 2003, but his retirement speech actually came later that year. Steve formed a team to play against Eric Bischoff’s team in the Survivor Series, and the losers are no longer raw general managers. His team lost the match and Austin then spoke to the crowd.
In many ways, this was Steve’s opportunity to formally deal with the fans and say goodbye. It was just as emotional as you would see a “rattlesnake” and a proper send-off to one of the greatest wrestling ever. Almost 20 years later, Steve worked on his final match against Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38.
5
Rick Flare
Ric Flair’s retirement segment is one of the greatest segments in raw history
- Ric Flair began wrestling in 1972
- His career in the ring will last nearly 40 years.
- He has been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice.
If this list is based on a retirement ritual, then Ric Flair’s list will surpass this list. As it is, Rick’s speech was somewhat short, before a parade of who was in wrestling and who started out in the ring. It was a ceremony worthy of a man many consider to be the best of all time.
Rick was emotionally confused, just like his family attended the segment. However, some people feel that they have hurt this moment by returning to the ring right away.
4
Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels retired after an unlikely comeback from a serious back injury
- Shawn Michaels began his career in 1984.
- He was in charge of the final match in 2010.
- He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.
Some thought Sean’s career could have ended in 1998, when he left due to a chronic back injury. When he returned to 2002, he got a second chance in both life and wrestling. That run lasted eight years, and Sean chose to leave after losing to the Undertaker at WrestleMania 26.
The next night at Raw, Sean spoke to the crowd, and many shed tears like him. He was known to be one of the more polarized wrestlers in history, but HBK had an undeniable connection with the audience, making his retirement speech particularly emotional.
3
ARN Anderson
Arn Anderson was 38 when he was forced to retire.
- Arn Anderson began his career in 1981
- He was forced to retire due to a neck injury
- Arn hasn’t struggled at all since retirement
Arn Anderson’s retirement is particularly saddened as he was forced to do so after his injuries. His speech is typical of ARN fashion, with an astonishing speech/promotion, he offers Kurt Henning with his “spot” with four jockeys.
Of course, many people feel that NWOs have gotten cheaper when they laugh at the segments, and Henning turns on jockeys in their favour of the group. But that booking never separates from Arn’s speech. He is one of the most highly regarded wrestlers of all time, and fans have made that clear time many times.
2
corner
When he was forced to retire early, Edge held the World Heavyweight Championship
- Edge began his wrestling career in 1992
- He was signed by WWE in 1996
- He retired in 2011 but will return to the ring in 2020
After a successful world heavyweight title defense against Alberto Del Rio at Wrestlemania 27, Edge will find his neck degenerated to the extent that doctors advised him to retire immediately from the competition in the ring. It was as shocking as sad, and Edge was, of course, devastated.
Wrestling was literally the only thing that Adam Copeland ever knew, so he would fight back tears when he spoke to the crowd. What’s worse, he was at the height of his career when he retired. Thankfully, he was able to return to the ring nine years later, ranked as one of the most emotional retirement speeches we have ever seen.
1
Daniel Brian
Daniel Brian dealt with concussion issues for much of his career
- Daniel Brian began his career in 1999
- He was trained by Shawn Michaels
- Brian was initially forced to retire in 2016.
Daniel Brian/Brian Danielson appeared to have a career struggling with disabilities. Every time he is rising, a premature injury will suddenly hamper his momentum. Things finally came to mind in 2016, talking to the WWE crowd and letting them know that they had been advised to quit.
The fans and the man themselves are emotional shipwrecks against the news, and there is an infamous photo of Brian breaking the backstage when his wife, Brie Bella, comforted him. Luckily, Brian was able to eventually return to action, but this speech ranks as the most emotional of all time.
