Is there a new Wrestlemania Trend?

[KKarvox]

I've just noticed that at the past 2 Wrestlemanias, and possibly at this years, there have been high profile superstars retiring.

2 years ago it was Ric Flair, albeit he came back out of retirement. Last year it was JBL, who imo deserved a better send-off, but that's not the point. This year, we may see either Taker or HBK, or possibly even both hang up their boots for good, or at least for a while. Could this be the start of a new Wrestlemania tradition, the yearly retirement of a major superstar? With people like Rey Mysterio and Batista talking retirement, and others like HHH and Kane getting close to there deadlines as well, could we see a yearly Retirement match added to Wrestlemania as a new yearly thing, especially with the probable removal of MITB?

Would you guys like to see it, or think i'm wrong maybe?

 

[leneman1585]

i think you will continue to see it to some degree but it won't be an actual theme. wrestlemania is the biggest stage in the business and obviously it provides a high profile opportunity for these superstars to step away. i think occurrences like flair's, where it was a whole angle, will be rare. i could see it being more of a situation where these guys make an announcement that it is their last match, win or lose. that allows them to go out in more of a positive way (think like what they did with hogan at mania 8, though obviously it would be more legit) rather than in a more negative way like flair. so to answer your question, i think we will see a number of wrestlers use mania as their farewell event, but i dont think we will see anything in the way of a yearly retirement match.

 

[TheFOUR]

yeah an lets listen to what this guy says........cause he's the head booker of the wwe. you don't know what the fuck you are talking about, besides all reports that are out there say that one of them IS retiring this year. and even then its just speculation. as for the matches themselves I think its just wwe's way of saying hey, *insert name here* thanks for your addition to the company an congrats on a good run.

 

[saint_edward]

if there's a annual 'retirement' match then wouldn't it detract from the "Grandest Stage of All" at WM, and it'd get even more predictable then your Elimination Chamber analysis... Flair wouldn't have left any other way but that, the build-up isn't big enough for either Shaun or Taker to be retiring, and with close to 20WMs under his belt i cant see Taker NOT getting to 20-0 at WM and retiring then... 'cos Taker will probs bow out of the 'E' then and i don't recon the Showstopper will be leaving us after March 28th either... maybe next year for Shaun and 2012 for Taker, not a trend, just the best place for people to bow out...

 

[THTRobtaylor]

I doubt it would work that way...as it would limit to Mania any retirements... There probably won't be the send offs for most of the newer stars that Flair got, as he kinda cheapened it by returning to the ring... Shawn, Taker...Trips... to have the big send off people should be at least 10 years at the top if not 15... those guys would qualify... A Rey, Batista would be on top for barely 7... why would they deserve a special moment on the level of a Taker or Shawn? JBL went without fanfare, as did Foley back in the day..

The 20-0 is unrealistic... its more likely that Shawn will be the one to stay longer to try to get to 20 appearances... he only missed WM13 so was on 9 before his hiatus...so he'd be a good way towards it since his return, with a much reduced schedule, he could easily still be involved in 5 manias time.

 

[vampirek]

Trend, what trend because it happened two years in a row? How about looking over the whole 26 years you'll find examples where wrestlers 'bow-out' at Mania and for the millionth time Taker/HBK aren't retiring (One year people will get this silly assumption right!)

Plus if you had any knowledge of Wrestlemania you would know this:

Wrestlemania 7:Warrior vs Savage in a Retirement Match (Flair isn't retired, so the principal counts here)
Piper's last match at Wrestlemania 3 before retiring (Although he returned later on)
Brock Lesnar v Goldberg at Wrestlemania 20 (Both men went out on the grandest stage of all, even if it was suppose to be just Goldberg on the original plans)
Shawn Michaels v Austin (This was viewed as HBK's last match because many couldn't see him returning to that ring)
Austin v Rock at Wrestlemania 19 (This is officially Austin's last wrestling match)
Rock n Sock v Evolution Wrestlema 20 (This is officially The Rock's last wrestling match)

That's six examples that this is nothing new. In fact four wrestlers bowed out in a space of two Wrestlemanias!

 

[KKarvox]

Trend, what trend because it happened two years in a row? How about looking over the whole 26 years you'll find examples where wrestlers 'bow-out' at Mania and for the millionth time Taker/HBK aren't retiring (One year people will get this silly assumption right!)

Plus if you had any knowledge of Wrestlemania you would know this:

Wrestlemania 7:Warrior vs Savage in a Retirement Match (Flair isn't retired, so the principal counts here)
Piper's last match at Wrestlemania 3 before retiring (Although he returned later on)
Brock Lesnar v Goldberg at Wrestlemania 20 (Both men went out on the grandest stage of all, even if it was suppose to be just Goldberg on the original plans)
Shawn Michaels v Austin (This was viewed as HBK's last match because many couldn't see him returning to that ring)
Austin v Rock at Wrestlemania 19 (This is officially Austin's last wrestling match)
Rock n Sock v Evolution Wrestlema 20 (This is officially The Rock's last wrestling match)

That's six examples that this is nothing new. In fact four wrestlers bowed out in a space of two Wrestlemanias!

I'm saying it is a trend because it is occuring three consecutive years, Ric Flairs retirement, JBL's retirement, and quite possibly HBK's retirement, which is quite possible, as he says he wants to spend time with his family and things of that nature. He can still come back, but retire for a while. I think using Wrestlemania to put major stars career to rest would be perfect, and there are a number of stars with retirements coming up that it could continue for a few years. The things you named weren't all retirement matches, some of them just happened to be the superstars last match. Although i see what your point is.

 

[Kurt Angle]

It isn't a trend,it is just a great place for Wrestlers to bow out,at the biggest show in the WWE.This is a trend but a yearly mandatory retirement match is just stupid.What If,in five years nobody wants to retire?A No-Contest.It is stupid.It is just a trend becuase high profile wrestlers wanna go out at Wrestlemania.

 

[Davi323]

If I were a top level WWE wrestler, I sure as hell would time my retirement until Wrestlemania too! Why would anyone in good health willingly retire in October? Its like an NFL player, on a REALLY good team, choosing to retire in week 10, instead of waiting to see if his team goes to and wins the Superbowl. Everyone in the NFL dreams of leaving the way John Elway did, right after winning a Superbowl. What would be substantially different than every WWE wrestler wanting one last Wrestlemania? If you are that good, if you are going to leave, why not leave on the biggest stage of them all?

 

[The_Crosby_Show]

I wouldn't want to see a retirement match every year, who would? I can see HBK taking a break and Taker going strong like usual (only wrestle at a PPV)

 

[theundisputedY2D2]

I don't think it'll become a trend, it's just panned out that way over the last few years.

If it's a case of a top superstar saying "I'm going to retire" and then being able to work the retirement into a storyline for Wrestlemania then great, I'm all for it. However what you don't want is WWE forcing guys to hang up their boots before they are ready, just because someone else retired the previous year and so you can have a "Wrestlemania moment".

If that happens then you're going to get more situations along the lines of Ric Flair. His final weekend as an in-ring competitor (Hall of Fame, Wrestlemania 24, RAW tribute the following night) was amongst some of the best stuff WWE has ever done, and well deserved too. But Flair has since said that retirement was forced on him by WWE, and he didn't want to call it a day. He then cheapened his awesome retirement by wrestling on the Hulkamania tour and in TNA, and while I've no desire to see him in a wrestling ring I feel sorry for him in a way because HE wasn't allowed to choose when to hang up the tights.

 

[Tastycles]

As more and more of the Attitude generation reach the ends of their careers, it is perhaps unsurprising that more of the big names are retiring at WrestleMania. I don't think it'll ever be an official thing, but more and more often I think we might see the last matches of many big names. And why shouldn't we? These guys were the reason people watched by and large, so why shouldn't they be allowed to have their last match on the biggest stage like retirees of the past such as Andre The Giant, it just seems a fitting tribute.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Retirement Match each year at 'Mania is plain suicide on the company. I can't stress the prospect of a Seasoned Superstar quitting the company each year and its effect on the promotion. At least with MITB you see it played out every year and it doesn't do anything but help the WWE put new stars over. But to get rid of a veteran each year?

Sure HHH and Taker are most likely next up on the chopping block. Yeah Batista, Mysterio, and Big Show have talked about retiring. But to cut them loose once a year as if it were a stipulation? Sounds a bit cheap honestly.

Not only with that idea in effect, but if they were to have a "Retirement Match" every Wrestlemania, and they DO get rid of the ones who have been in the game long enough, what happens to the talent that is in their prime? ala John Cena, Chris Jericho, Christian..etc? Are we to expect them to drop the exclusive Retirement bit just like that? Seems a little gimmicky.

It is one thing to give a devoted superstar a proper send-off, but it is another to make it an annual thing. Keep in mind how the future will play out. Will we truly appreciate the people we watched and had a connection with just drop their career one year, in an assembly-line fashion? I think this is something that people will look back on and wonder "Why did WWE do it that way?"