Is there a career YOU would "retire" over?

[Stoppa]

My favorite wrestler, since I was about 10-11, has been Sting. He was "the man" to me when I was kid. He was built, athletic, talented, exciting, and face-paint on a wrestler was still a relatively new thing. I followed his career from Power Team to the Blade Runners to the Rafters every Monday night to the MEM. From Memphis to Orlando, I've watched the guy perform, and 20 years later, he's still my favorite.

He's not the most built.

He's not the most athletic.

He's not the most talented.

He's not the most exciting.

Not anymore on any of these counts.

But I can honestly say I'd rather watch a Sting match than I would anyone else's. He was the coolest guy in the world to me when I was a kid, and a little of that carried over into my manhood.

I was 10 and living with my grandparents the first time I saw him. I'll be married with 4 small children of my own the last time I see him.

He was my grandfather's favorite as well. That means a lot too.

I've been watching wrestling since I was about 3-4 years old.

I remember watching Jerry Lawler throw Jimmy Hart's gold record into the river. I remember watching Flair vs Race at Starrcade. I remember watching the Koloff vs TA best of seven series. I remember watching the Steamboat vs Savage at Wrestlemania. I remember watching Flair walk out on WWF tv with Big Goldy. I remember watching Sting drop from the rafters the very first time. I remember tearing up when Eddie died. I remember Pillman pissing in the middle of the ECW ring. I remember watching Austin ask Brett why he wore pink tights.

Wrestling has been fun for me for a lot of years. I have a lot of great memories and whatnot from my childhood. But it hasn't been the same for me in quite a few years, and I don't foresee that changing anytime soon.

My point is, I decided awhile back that when Sting retired I was probably going to stop watching wrestling.

Now I'm a realist. I'll tune in from time to time, and I realize that. But I barely watch WWE now, and if not for Sting, Styles, and sometimes Angle (Who I'm totally waiting to wig the heck out right there on camera for real), I wouldn't bother with TNA. But when Sting retires, so do a lot of my best memories from wrestling. With his career's passing, so does an era of wrestling that, for me anyway, isn't coming back anytime soon.

I guess in the end, it's sort of the closing of a childhood memory.

My question is this:

Is there a wrestler out there that you've followed, admired, and cheered, who you've had a considerable amount of your devotion to the sport wrapped up in, that, if they retired, you would either quit watching, or at least lose a great deal of interest in the sport? (Wow, that was a serious run-on sentence. My apologies to the king and his english)

Does that guy exist for you? Is there a guy who embodies a lot of your interest in the sport? And if that guy retired tomorrow, would you're interest retire with him?

I expect to hear a lot of Undertaker comments. Which I completely understand.

 

[The Todd]

That happened with me when The Rock started disappearing.

Wrestling was never better, and wrestlemania x-seven was out of this world. Then the next night Rock was written out of the story line. What followed was poor in my eyes, the Rock came back to save the Invasion angle, then beat Hogan, then disappeared again and for me that was it.

People generally say Stone Cold is the biggest legend, but not in my eyes. The Rock had everything. For me he was a brilliant wrestler, much better technically than Austin, not on Kurt's level, but he was good. No one comes close to him for charisma. His promos were always the highlight of the show.

So he went and I packed in watching, then a couple of year ago I was sat in a pub with mates (in a place they didn't mind us being underage of course) and wrestlemania was on the big screen, a midweek repeat. Batista vs Taker. Hadn't heard of Batista and didn't like the look of him so cheered on the one i knew and took up my interest in it again, researched what I'd missed and started watching Raw again.

Now, I don't see it happening again as before I was a standard mark cheering Rocky to my tv set, but now I'm much more interested in new, young wrestlers getting the pushes they deserve so I can see my interest lasting a long time.

 

[ffrikku]

I do have a person... but my story is this... When I was younger I was the BIGGEST wrestling fan/mark/whatever ever! Grew up obsessed with the WWF I used to get all the wrestling magazines and all that stuff. On the back of one of those magazines one day they had an article "Wrestler to look out for" They profiled The Gangstas (New Jack and Mustafa) and they talked about ECW. That had me hooked that one day soon I need to check out ECW... I was in middle school at the time so I had no idea how to do that.. Well, one day on a freaking great day I remember I come home and I see on the preview channel. Extreme Championship Wrestling on at 3am on the Sports Channel in chicago. I FORCED myself to stay up.... I feel in love with ECW and I saw New Jack for the 1st time. This was right when Mustafa left ECW! The Dudleys were in the ring talking the most insane shit I ever heard on a wrestling show. I was shocked! Then New Jack came out and just murdered EVERYONE. I was from that moment on a New Jack MARK! Like begging mom to let me order RF Videos New Jack mark... New Jack was the shit in ECW.... Then ECW died... then so did he.. Beating 70 year old men, stabbing someone in the ring, constantly getting arrested, and numerous shoot interviews were NONE of his stories add up... New Jack who I think most ECW fans enjoyed especially in the ECW hay-days has become someone who is hard to respect and his constant reminder on his interviews of "not giving a shit about this business" makes me mad I made road trips to see ECW for him, buy his tapes, tshirts, action figures..... get where I am going. Basically, New Jack retired about 8 months before ECW died... but showed up like a week later in XPW.. I wish he would have stayed retired and not made a complete ass of himself for ohhh so many years now.

 

[Criss Hardy]

Deffinately, thats how Jeff Hardy is to me.
I dont think anyones ever cared about someone and not even know them as much I care about Jeff Hardy.
Its pretty much my life wrestling but I dont think I would care as much about it if Jeff left cause he comes before wrestling for me.

 

[samus500]

I gotta say that this person for me has to be Bret Hart for reasons im about to explain.

Ive always watched wrestling, preferrably WWE since 1992, and the first guy that i really stuck out was Bret. he wasnt the most biggest or fastest wrestler out there, he seemed like a regular guy, and yet he was on top of the mountain. I always religiously would watch WWE Superstars to see if Bret would make an appearance, and if he would it would always be great for me.

Fast forward about 3 years to the 1st In Your House PPV, where I would become a Bret Hart fan for the rest of my life, as I was a recipient of his trademark sunglasses to which i plan to pass them down to my kids someday and to tell them "the greatest wrestler of all time gave these to me when I was your age." The footage of it is all over youtube so you can check it out.

Ive followed his career to his last days in the WWE and WCW and up until Starrcade 1999 where a giant oaf by the name of Bill Goldberg ended his career. That day is really when wrestling died out for me. Bret was a rare breed of wrestler that used his technical knowledge of wrestling to win, but not above using some dirty tactics to win as well. To me he was the perfect wrestler, and wrestling itself hasnt been the same since his departure, as its changed from technical wrestling to the "sports entertainment" smut that we see every monday night on raw.

 

[Zeitgeist]

Not sure that I have ever been such a huge fan of one wrestler that his retirement would make me lose all interest in the business. If anything, being a huge WCW fan, the death of WCW would have been my chance to "retire" but I kept watching WWF/E. During my WCW days I was a huge Sting fan as well but having him be a part of that abomination TNA makes me WISH he retired.

Guys have come and gone that I really liked... Stone Cold, RVD... but nobody has stepped away that really made me lose interest.

 

[HBK-aholic]

My favourite wrestler is Shawn Michaels, always has been, and I believe back when I was young he was what got me first excited about watching wrestling. If he retired I'd be heartbroken, and wrestling would never be the same. But I'd still watch it, even without him. I don't watch WWE for any one particular person, I watch it because I love the whole product, and I always have. I don't think lack of any one person could change it so much I'd want to never watch it again.

 

[klunderbunker]

No. I've never really had an all tiem favorite wrestler other than I guess Hogan and Punk. Wrestling is just something I can't imagine not watching. There's things and people about it that I like but I honestly can't imagine that just one person retiring could make me quit watching it. That's the beauty of it: the characters change so much that you always have to watch just to see what's going to happen next. No one person leaving could end that fun aspect for me, at least not that I can imagine.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

Seeing as Sting is my favorite wrestler, and he is nearing the end of his career. This speaks volumes to me. For me, Sting will always be the end all/be all in wrestling. I remember being a little Stinger around the age of three. He captured my imagination and hooked me into the show like no one else could. He MADE me believe wrestling was real. Everything he did was spot on. His promos and his wrestling style to me were second to none. He IS my idol.

With that being said. All that Sting has done, and through all the things he has accomplished. Throughout that all. His greatest accomplishment was making me a wrestling fan. Something that I will never relinquish. He not only made me a fan, he made me believe. Once Sting hangs up the boots for good. It will be a sad day in Monkeyville. But even though he will be retired, his presence will still be felt by me and others. This is his greatest accomplishment and for that I thank him. Because without Sting, I would have never became a wrestling fan, and after he is retired, I will still be a wrestling fan.

 

[agentmichaelscarn]

No I dont think there is anybody cause this era right now is the first time in my life where there isnt one guy Im a huge fan of and I still watch. At first I was a huge Hogan fan, then I became a Bret Hart fan around 92 or so and I thought to myself that I would never watch wrestling once he retired. Then around 98 or 99 I became a huge fan of The Rock so he helped fill the void that was gone once Bret left and since he retired I havent had that one guy that I really pull for and I must say that it does make it a little less enjoyable. The closest would be Jericho but its not like it was a life or death situation with me if he won or not like it was for the other guys I mentioned. With those guys if they won the title it would completely make my day hell it would make my week and if they lost it would devastate me. They were as close as it came to being on par with my favorite sports team in terms of the effect it had on my life if they won or not.

After The Rock retired I barely watched wrestling because of that reason. I would watch here and there if I got around to it and check the internet and post on here once in awhile(before it shut down) but that was it. It wasnt until I found out about Wrestlemania coming back to Detroit in 07 where I got interested in it again cause I was going to attend for sure. I watched then just so I would know the storylines and what not leading up to Mania so I would know what was going on when I went and since then Ive started watching more and more of it. Its still not must see TV for me like it used to be but I still check it out as much as I can well atleast Raw anyway.

So considering I still watch it now and there isnt that one guy Im a huge fan of I dont think there could ever be a time where I would just stop watching it completely.

 

[Sparky]

Ugh...
Why on earth would i stop watching wrestling when HBK retires? Oh HBK is being rude to his fans by living the rest of his life with his family. So I'm gunna boycott all wrestling.

If anything when my favourites leave I would watch Wrestling more then i do now. Why? becouse I would have to pick a new favourite. I wouldnt be biased in any matches. and I would find it fun to try and pick.

Would i find wrestling boring after that? no. Becouse HBK isnt involved in every single match, face it he is good but not THAT good. If i started to miss him I am sure there is thousands of matches i havent seen with him in, I would just hunt them down.

and besides HBK willl Nevaaaah retire.

 

[Blade]

Like other guys have said, I really like my favourite wrestler, Punk. But I LOVE wrestling.

The whole industry, or your favourite company should always matter more than your favourite wrestler. Espcially since you wouldn't have your fave wrestler without that company. So if Punk left, I wouldn't stop watching. I'd be sad, but I'd find a new fave and cheer for him instead.

 

[DrewWWE87]

This topic, is a good one but lets be serious...if your a fan of the WWE, or wrestling in general Than ur a fan for life..the WWE does a great job of bringing back your favorite legends from the past, and incorporate them in a storyline or something else maybe a match..My favorites growing up were Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, & Razor Ramon....I idolized Bret Hart & HBK but when they left the WWE Bret in 97, and HBK in 98 i was left saying jeez who do i really like, and then the WWE introduced new stars such as Triple H, Austin, New Age Outlaws, Rock, Angle, Jericho, Edge, Mick Foley & more that i really got into and became a big DX Fan/Triple H..the WWE is great at keeping their fans put..i have been of the WWE since 1995..and i would never not be a fan do i watch every WWE Program no, am i big into the sport, and entertainment of the business yes...i have my favorites now who are Orton, Edge, Jericho, CM Punk, & Priceless and will continue to watch the WWE until they depart, and the WWE Wishes them well on their future endevors because they will introduce new superstars they always do, otherwise they wouldent have a company..

Drew

 

[mcbrainlegend]

This already happened to me twice. Perhaps Im shallow or something but i know when Hogan left the WWF for WCW, me and my brother would only rarely watch wrestling from then on, if at all.

Then my interest was regained in the attitude era, and my new hero was Stone Cold (will always be my favourite wrestler), however when Austin and then the Rock left in 2003, I stopped watching wrestling entirely apart from Wrestlemania once a year (a kind of tradition).

However for the third time in my life, at 21 my interest has suddenly returned to wrestling and now I see Randy Orton as my favourite wrestler on the current roster.

 

[Legendary_Undertaker]

I have to say that this is one of the best threads I've ever came across. Everybody's answers are so different and unique. This isn't just one of those cookie cutter poast where almost everyboy has the same answer and that alone makes it worth reading atleast to me.

Anyway to answer your question that person for me had and always will be The Undertaker. He was the whole reason I started watching wrestling in the first place and without himit just wouldn't be the same. No homo but I love this guy. Everything about is character is awsome. HIs entrance alone used to send chills down my spine (it literally scared the crap out of me sometimes). His record at wrestlemania speaks for itself but its all his other accomplishments that make him my favorite wresler bar none.

Consider the fact that he's NEVER faced an opponent he didn't defeat. Having a match against the Undertaker is like a stamp of approval on you career win lose or draw after your match with the deadman your career is validated he put it best when he said a match with him will "make you famous"

Also for a guy that big and old (yes i used the trem old) he can still go with the best of them. his recent work with edge and shelton benjamin prove that even if you lose to Taker it does nothing but help your career.

He has been an innovator in the ring since he first started with WWF/E almost 20 years ago. Most of whe current gimmick matches are his brain child and or he was the first to participate in them. Casket Match, Burried alive Matches, Hell In The Cell, Inferno Match, Last Ride Matches, Boiler Room Brawl, Pujabi Prison Matches ect. All those matches scream Undertaker and without him they just feel empty.

His Fudes have been legendary to say the least and whle his mic work isn't great his character isn't one that needs to talk much. He is the only guy I can think of who's Character completely morphed atleast three thime without changing his name and made it believeable. He went from a casket making mortition to a demonic personna, to a biker, now a MMA fighter and its all believeable combine that with the fact that he's NEVER lost a match via SUBMISSION and you have the greatest wrestler in the world in my opinion.

The day Undertaker retires will be a sad day for me and wrestles alike he's spent almost 20 years on top even without the title and needless to say the day he retires is the ay wrestling will be put to sleep for me.

 

[Starchild]

For me, I'd say no. I have several all-time favorites such as Hogan, Sting, Austin, Rock, and Taker who I always loved to watch and it saddens me that I can't see some of them anymore and the others' careers are drawing to an end. There will always be a hole in wrestling that only they can fill for me.

But, that being said, I still can't imagine myself stop watching. I don't watch TNA often, just occasionally but I do watch WWE all the time. There was a time a few years ago where they were just in a funk and I didnt watch quite as much as I normally did, but I stuck through that and now I watch Raw every week, most Smackdowns, and def. every ppv. I can't imagine not doing so. The characters and major stars are shifting but it still keeps me intrigued. It's like a good book that I just can't put down because I have to see what happens next, even if it turns out disappointing, I just want to know.

But I also notice that there are some guys who are my favorites now that are inching there way towards my all-time favs and I think that is great because it's a good way to evolve and handle some of the greats being gone. Guys like Edge, Orton, and Jeff Hardy are just fun to watch right now and I see them as I did some of my favs way back when at the time they were the center of the show.

 

[Hacksaw Highway]

I doubt I'll stop watching based on one person. I've always found people I loved to watch, first it was Hogan when I was a little kid, then Hart once Hogan left for WCW, once Hart left my favorite was Taker, then as his screen time diminished back in the early 2000s I became a big fan of Jericho and the Hardys. Some day Taker and Matt and Jeff and Jericho will be gone, but I suspect there will be new guys to fill their shoes. The thing is, I love wrestling as a whole too much to ever stop watching based on a few guys. I'll be watching when Taker retires, when the Hardys retire, when the young stars like Kennedy and MVP and Punk retire, and I'll be watching when the guys the new retires.

 

[supergav67]

Id be almost tempted to say,though its a slightly bigger kettle of fish,if anyone won the Raw or Smackdown World title quicker than Jack Swagger (still kinda asking-Who?!) ,I would be ReallY thinking Vince didnt a %$&K about us & IF that happened I think the fans feeling would be mutual too.

 

[RVDgurl]

I am a fan of wrestling, so losing one particular wrestler could never eliminate my interest in the business. However, I must say that I miss RVD in the ring like crazy. His appearance at the Royal RUmble has magnified that. He has been my favorite wrestler since the first time I saw him wrestle. I was hooked. I would choose to watch an RVD match over anyone else, but not being able to watch him hasn't affected my interest in wrestling as whole.

 

[travistragic]

Jeez, so many different people!

I would have to say that the first retirement that really ruined wrestling for me was Ultimo Dragon's arm injury. At that point in life I really only enjoyed watching the WCW Cruiserweight stuff (one of the reasons I now prefer watching AAA over WWE, I guess) but Ultimo was the best of the best, everything he did looked like absolute magic. I lost interest for a while, especially when the CWs were being phased out for more Goldberg fluff.

I'd also like to be the first to say that Women's wrestling, at least in the WWE, is dead to me without Victoria. There is not a single woman out there right now with anywhere close to the talent and hotness that she had.

But for the future, I'd say considering there is only three guys I really like in the WWE right now and that I don't expect much at this point from Mr. Kennedy, it boils down to Matt Hardy and Chris Jericho. Of the two, only Jericho is ever hovering about in the main event (ECW doesn't count), but I presume Matt will be around longer. If Jericho leaves again, I'll focus on Matt, under the assumption that somewhere down the road (heel or face) he'll eventually get a title run like his less-talented brother, hopefully a longer one. So that's my pick.