We’ve seen it in the movie The Wrestler. Sheesh, we’ve seen it every time someone retires. When you’re a professional wrestler, it’s really hard to give up that kind of a high. When you can get a rise from a capacity crowd, as most wrestlers will tell you - there’s just no other feeling in the world like it. It's no wonder plenty of superstars are still grinding it out today.

Perhaps they have made and stockpiled millions upon millions during their career and never have to work again. Perhaps they tragically squandered away whatever money they made and have to keep working for the next great payday. No matter the reason, a wrestler doesn’t actually perform for just the money. Sure the money’s good, but these guys aren’t risking their necks for forty-dollar paydays and hopes they break the bank at their gimmick tables.

They’re working for the love of the business and the passion they have for it. So whether they’re selling out stadiums and arenas or floundering at half-empty bingo halls, their passion and our passion as fans is what keeps them going. Some have tried to retire before but just couldn't escape that itch for the business and wound up making their way back. Here are 20 former stars that are still going - 10 who stood out most in WWE, and 10 more who were bigger stars in WCW.

20 WWE – Rikishi

Rikishi really was given a gift when he joined Too Cool about 20 years ago. Rikishi had been floundering in WWE for a few years, under various gimmicks that flopped. Who could've foreseen that joining a comedic tag team and acting as the dancing big man would be what really made him a star, and hall of famer to boot? While Rikishi's heel run flopped, once he reverted back to the dancing gimmick, he carried that from there-on. Even today, Rikishi still pops up on the indie scene every now and then. He's still delivering stink-faces and fans still seem entertained by it.

19 WCW – Scott Steiner

We’re just going to forget Scott Steiner’s 2003 WWE run. That just wasn’t a good idea at all. However, several years prior, the drastic change Scott made to his appearance propelled him to the top of the WCW card. He always had a hint of danger to him as he flung opponents all over the ring; the new haircut and attitude just cemented it.

Steiner is one of the only wrestlers on the planet to work for JCP, WCW, WWE, ECW, NJPW, and TNA/Impact, and he is still at it today. He currently works on the indies and for Impact when called upon.

18 WWE – X-Pac

The calendar year of 2019 marks X-Pac’s 30th year in the business. He must be 50 to 60-years-old, right? Nope - he’s just 46. Out of the Kliq, only Shawn Michaels and Scott Hall have worked longer. He’s barely a few years older than AJ Styles, and a lot of people consider him the best in the world.

So, it should come as no surprise that Sean Waltman is still an active force on the indie scene. He hasn’t worked in a while but has also made no formal retirement announcement. Plus, Mexico, the podcasting scene, and WWE COO Triple H all seem to like him. Pac’s got a career as long as he wants one.

17 WCW – Konnan

Often referred to as the Hulk Hogan of Mexico, Konnan has been one the greatest champions of how stars from south of the border and the Latino culture in general, is represented in wrestling promotions. He would know - he has worked for or has helped talents for most of them.

Now he’s helping MLW in his hometown of Miami. There, he has been feuding with Selina De La Renta and her crew. At the end of 2018, he came out of retirement to do battle with Low Ki for the MLW Heavyweight Championship. There's no telling how many more matches he could do.

16 WWE – Hacksaw Jim Duggan

WWE Hall Of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan holds the distinction of being the first ever Royal Rumble winner and the last WCW TV Championship. But the barrel-chested brawler was best known for brandishing a two-by-four and hurtling his battle cry throughout arenas around the world.

This legend works predominantly for Legacy Pro and Superstars Of Wrestling these days. Like several others in this list and elsewhere, he’ll pretty much work where anyone will have him since fans all around the world just want to hear a “hooooo,” and the follow-up “tough guy!”

15 WCW – Disco Inferno

While nobody would ever mistake Disco Inferno for being a superstar, many said that he was very easy to work with in WCW. He understood what his gimmick, and place in the company, was. He embraced his role and never ruffled any feathers. That's likely why he's continued to find some work in the industry when he wants it. Based out of Las Vegas, Disco has taken some local independent bookings and has even made some appearances in Impact, most recently on the Thanksgiving 2018 episode. After taking the pin in a tag team match, he was forced to wear a turkey suit.

14 WWE – Marty Jannetty

833 times. That’s how many times Marty Jannetty has been fired and rehired by the WWE. Okay, maybe not that exact amount, but you get our drift. Anyhow, he's still going at it, so perhaps there’s room for him somewhere on the current roster of active wrestlers, legends, and trainers. For a time, no matter how many times he squandered his chance, the WWE (read: Vince) hired him back.

Early in 2018, Jannetty worked with the Bad Boy, Joey Janela. His career has been sidelined before for all kinds of reasons. Now the former Rocker needs surgery, and that's surgery Janela has been trying to raise money for.

13 WCW – Glacier

After what seemed like several years of build-up, wrestling’s answer to Mortal Kombat’s Sub-Zero finally debuted when Glacier walked out onto the Monday Nitro stage. Sadly for Ray Lloyd, the man behind the mask, by the time Glacier debuted, the nWo was just way too hot and realistic an angle for a gimmick like Glacier to work.

But he tried, and it was memorable wrestling fun. Every so often, Lloyd does back in from the cold and heads into the ring. He was seen at All In in Cody’s corner. As far as his own wrestling career goes, he participated in the 2017 ROH Honor Rumble and was tossed out by Bully Ray.

12 WWE – Rob Van Dam

There was a point where Rob Van Dam was without question, the best wrestler in the world. It took some time, but Vince finally came around and he gave RVD the whole ball. He was always consistent in the ring, but some personal issues curtailed his championship run before anything of note could happen, his career in WWE was not quite the same afterward.

RVD is one of the wrestlers on this list who made a pile of money and didn’t spend it all throughout his career. So, he only wrestles when it strikes his fancy. In 2018, Mr. Monday Night worked the likes of Johnny Mundo and Pentagon, Jr.

11 WCW – The Great Muta

Prior Shinsuke Nakamura and Asuka, one of the most known Japanese stars to work for a major American promotion would be two superstars – Jushin Liger and Keiji Mutoh. Keiji, as the Great Muta, made his debut nearly 35 years ago in 1984. It would be only four years later that he headed over to World Class. Of course, the legend from the Rising Sun would make his name famous by feuding with the likes of Sting and Ric Flair for the NWA and WCW in the early nineties.

Muta, like many old-school stars from Japan, just keeps going and going. Muta worked several times in 2018 and doesn’t seem to be slowing down or retiring any time soon.

10 WWE – Gangrel

Vince McMahon needed to be convinced that a vampire could work. Gangrel was the one to do it. Imagine if it flopped? Edge and Christian might not have ever become main event stars. Wrestling fans might never have occasionally hummed another really cool Jim Johnston theme.

Along with Rikishi, Gangrel has opened up a wrestling school. He still heads into the ring from time to time; sometimes with, sometimes against another wrestling vampire- Kevin Thorn. He also still will work shots for House Of Hardcore. It's amazing how a gimmick like a vampire has afforded him an extra couple of decades on his in-ring career.

9 WCW – Jushin "Thunder" Liger

Rey Mysterio is the most famous masked superstar in the Western Hemisphere. But the most famous masked wrestler in the Eastern Hemisphere is Jushin "Thunder" Liger. Before debuting in WCW against the likes of Flyin’ Brian Pillman, Liger toured the world - Mexico, Japan, even the Dungeon.

He finally landed in the WWE for a one-time-only NXT appearance a few years ago. Liger still works today, most famously last year having a long-long-awaited rematch with Rey Mysterio for New Japan. Liger gives no indication of wanting to slow down and likely has some more appearances in the United States ahead of him. AEW perhaps?

8 WWE – Chris Jericho

The 2018 Chris Jericho had was 100 percent proof positive that you don’t necessarily need to have the WWE marketing machine behind you to be successful. Granted, his name is bigger than most others, but take a look at what the guy has done in one year’s time. He’s worked New Japan and is the current IWGP Intercontinental Champion. He worked at the Greatest Royal Rumble, All In, and hosted his own rock-and-wrestling cruise, which hosted wrestlers from New Japan, ROH, and TNA.

The man is the official workhorse of the industry and he doesn’t look to be slowing down at all. He’s set to work for All Elite Wrestling, and will get a high profile match at the promotion's Double or Nothing event in May. From there, he'll surely find some more work as along as he wants it.

7 WCW – Crowbar

Devon Storm has been a very talented hand who is one of the few stars to have worked in ECW, WWE, WCW, and TNA. But in just about every promotion, he was always on the cusp of breaking through the lower card. He did find a small modicum of success with David Flair, working under the name Crowbar.

Storm has been all over the indies ever since. In 2018, Crowbar tore it up mostly for RescuePro and WrestlePro. With all of his experience, the guy really deserves a shot working as a trainer for Impact or NXT. We'll see what 2019 brings him.

6 WWE – Billy Gunn

Jim Ross used to laud over Billy Gunn as the best natural athlete during the Attitude Era. True enough, the guy was a beast. He was deceptively strong (which he’d have to be as a former bull rider), and some of the smoothest transition moves during the time.

Nowadays "The One" Billy Gunn is all over the world working with all kinds of companies. He’s also not deceptively strong anymore; he looks as strong as he is. He has worked in New Japan alongside Yoshitatsu and has been helping his son, Austin Gunn, get along in the game.

5 WCW – David Arquette

Of course, David Arquette should be on this list - he’s a former WCW World Heavyweight Champion! Ric Flair, Harley Race, Sting, Steamboat...and Arquette! While it was all done for Ready To Rumble, it sure was way off-base, even for the floundering WCW. If you still have a bad taste in your mouth from the ordeal - just remember Arquette donated his WCW paydays to wrestling widows like Melanie Pillman and Martha Hart.

At 47 years old, he’s being taught by Peter Avalon, building upon what DDP and Chris Kanyon showed him years ago. He has since famously received a light bulb to the neck in a match against Nick Gage.

4 WWE – The Honky Tonk Man

As the self-professed greatest Intercontinental Champion of all-time, the Honky Tonk Man was one of the key ingredients on the mid-card during the Golden Era. The guy slapped Miss Elizabeth and shattered a guitar over the Macho Man! The angle was one of the most memorable and important ones of the time.

HTM has been a fixture in the business for over 40 years. He’s given various shoot interviews that make him out to be a purveyor of dark rasslin’ secrets. He still works all over the world and even cameo’ed for Lucha Underground. He's not likely to leave the business anytime soon.

3 WCW – Kevin Sullivan

Do not let this man’s friendly grandpa look fool you. He might look like a beloved and irascible cousin or uncle. But behind his eyes lies the mind of one of the most twisted souls in wrestling - from the Iron Gates Of The Fate, the Taskmaster Kevin Sullivan. As a booker, he has come up with some seriously twisted angles. He even helped orchestrate the Loose Cannon angle with Brian Pillman.

Sullivan is still feuding with the Pillman Family. Only now it’s on MLW, as Brian Pillman Jr. and the rest of the Hart Foundation recently beat the heck out of the former Bookerman.

2 WWE – Jerry "The King" Lawler

Jerry Lawler might be crazier than anyone thinks he is. The guy had a heart attack on live television shortly after working a match. He’s still wrestling and that was almost seven years ago. But the King has been doing it for nearly 50 years, so why let a little thing like a myocardial infarction stop him?

Lawler was recently on a speaking engagement tour with Good Ol’ J.R., Jim Ross. He also does still wrestle any and all kinds of opponents, including his old rival, Terry Funk. Lawler works a pretty conservative style, so he likely feels he can step back in the ring on occasion.

1 WCW – Buff Bagwell

The story of Buff Bagwell has become a bit of a joke in the wrestling world. He was a decent worker by WCW standards, but he had the look of an Adonis. Then he gets one bad match in WWE, an argument with Shane Helms, and a supposed call from his mom, Judy, to WWE officials. That was all she wrote for Bagwell, who never got another chance in the big time.

He’s been traversing the indie and entertainment landscapes ever since. Most recently back in October, he teamed with his former nWo brothers, X-Pac, and Scott “Flash” Norton at a Glory Pro Wrestling event.