Wrestling is a career that many stars start to pursue when they're just children and they are then forced to work through the ranks for a number of years before they are able to finally turn it into a career. In some cases, it takes longer to get to the WWE than many stars are able to remain in there and this leaves many of them in a position where they are then released from the company without a backup plan, which could be why many have disappeared from the spotlight while others have been able to step into new lucrative careers.

Injuries, lack of job opportunities and other stressful life problems are just a few reasons why some of our favourite WWE superstars are now looking much older than they did when they first graced a WWE ring. On the flip side of this, there are a number of other stars who have been able to remain youthful despite leaving the company a number of years ago. The following list looks at just 10 former WWE stars who haven't aged at all since they left WWE, as well as 10 who are barely recognizable because the aging process has taken full effect.

20 Aged Well: Chris Jericho

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Chris Jericho has defied logic a number of times in his lengthy career, but somehow he has been able to continue to improve and develop his skills every year since his debut. He has now reached the point where he can stand toe-to-toe with some of the biggest wrestlers in the world and still put on an incredible performance.

Jericho tours with Fozzy when he isn't on the road with WWE or spending time with his family.

Recently he has been making appearances for NJPW where he appears to be showing up most of their roster. Jericho is 47 years old but he is still able to wrestle to a level of a star half his age and he still looks incredible physically. It's obvious that Jericho will be returning to the company in the coming months much like his Greatest Royal Rumble a few weeks ago, WWE is taking full advantage of the fact that Jericho seems happy to float between wrestling promotions right now. The company also made a huge deal of his issues with Kevin Owens recently which means that this could be something that they are hoping to pick up on in the future if Jericho decides to return to WWE and work another storyline.

19 Not So Lucky: Sable

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Sable was once seen as one of the most beautiful women in the world, she was the woman that helped WWE to beat WCW in the ratings and she was the woman who helped to launch the WWE Divas. She came into WWE late, which means that there wasn't a lot of shelf life for her to begin with, but there is a reason that she has been hiding away from WWE cameras in recent years.

Sable is a shell of her former self, she isn't the same woman that posed for Heff's magazine three times and had one of the best selling issues of the magazine in the history of the company. The former star left WWE more than 15 years ago and has since settled into family life with her husband, current Universal Champion Brock Lesnar and her two sons Duke and Turk. The former Women's Champion has been spotted at UFC events cheering on her husband but she looks almost unrecognizable compared to the way she was once seen when she was on WWE TV. Sable has put her wrestling career behind her ever since her departure and shockingly didn't even appear at Raw's 25th Anniversary show earlier this year.

18 Aged Well: Goldberg

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Goldberg was a legend throughout his run in WCW back in the 90s and even though he spent more than a decade away from the squared circle, he was able to return to the company back in 2016 and prove that he still had it. Goldberg had remained in incredible shape and was the first man who was able to defeat Brock Lesnar since his reign of terror over the WWE roster began.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year and even though he isn't as muscled as he was when he was much younger and wrestling on a regular basis, he still looked incredible for 51 years old. The former Universal Champion has managed to remain in incredible shape over the past few years and has even been able to come back to the company and hold the biggest title available right now, despite walking away from the business in 2004 and not returning for 12 years. The star himself has refused to rule out another return to the company in the near future and if he remains in his current shape then it's hard to see WWE Chairman Vince McMahon turning an opportunity like that down.

17 Not So Lucky: Hulk Hogan

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Hulk Hogan is seen as one of the first legends of the wrestling business and the man who was able to lift the profile of the business to new levels. Hogan hasn't been seen in a WWE ring since WrestleMania 31 when he was made part of Sting vs Triple H, the company was then forced to part ways with the star after controversial comments were leaked online and WWE wanted to avoid the backlash.

The now 64 year old has had a rough few years, from divorce, to release from WWE and a lengthy lawsuit that he ended up winning, it appears that this has taken its toll on the former star. Even though Hogan is looking worse for wear right now, it's obvious that he's still open to a return to the company since he has taken every opportunity to voice the fact that he would like to return and WWE could agree to this now that the controversy has cooled off. Hogan's injuries prevent him from wrestling again, but there's nothing stopping him from returning as an on-screen personality, but the stress of life on the road could pay a heavy toll on an already rough looking Hogan if that's the future he's hoping for.

16 Aged Well: Scott Hall

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Scott Hall has had a well-documented struggle throughout his life, this started before he found his way to WWE and his addictions definitely took their toll on him over the years. There have been many images of the former World Champion that have made him look much older than he actually is, but he has decided to get his act together recently and some of the images he's shared have proved that he has definitely put in the effort.

Diamond Dallas Page has helped to change around his fortunes, get him on a better diet and back in the gym where he's been able to prove that he's still got what it takes to be a star. Hall has always struggled with addiction but his friends have finally been able to help him to get his life in order and the results are astounding. Hall turns 60 later this year and compared to the way he looked just two years ago, the WWE Hall of Famer has completely turned his life around. If he continues to put in the hard work, it's easy to see him returning to the company and showing some of the new generation just why The Attitude Era was the most successful era in the history of WWE.

15 Not So Lucky: X-Pac

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X-Pac's part in DX is one of the reasons why he is one of the most memorable characters of that generation, but it appears that the former Hardcore Champion has struggled since his release from WWE. From his links to Chyna to his most recent struggles with addiction, the story of X-Pac is one that has been well-documented and even though Diamond Dallas Page has stepped in and helped him a number of times, age has finally caught up with him.

The wrestling business isn't one that is kind to superstars physically, from injuries to the toll that the traveling schedule pays on their bodies, it has all began catching up to X-Pac, who now looks much older than his years suggest. X-Pac is just 45 years old, but standing next to someone like Scott Hall right now would suggest that he could be around a decade older than that. The former star still wrestles on the Independent Circuit all over the world to this day, and was most recently seen as part of Raw's 25th anniversary back in January, but like many other stars who are still clinging to the glory years of their career, there will be a time in the near future when he's forced to let go.

14 Aged Well: The Rock

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The Rock was one of WWE's biggest stars of The Attitude Era and ever since his departure he has been able to move on to a high profile career on the silver screen. Dwayne Johnson has taken over Hollywood but is still able to return to WWE when needed, where he proves that despite not wrestling for the company full-time for more than a decade, he still spends a lot of time in the gym.

The Rock plays very physical roles in almost all of the movies he is part of, which is why he is forced to bulk up and eat well so that he's ready for any role he wants to audition for.

The Rock walked away from WWE back in 2004 and at almost 50 years old, he still looks like an impressive specimen. It is unknown if the fact that his time in the gym is the reason why he is still able to look so good for his age, but the former World Champion has recently welcomed his third daughter, which means that sleepless nights in the coming months could easily take their toll, but The Rock will still be able to look incredible despite the impact on his sleeping pattern.

13 Not So Lucky: Bret Hart

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Bret Hart is one of the best-known former stars in the company, but even though the Hart Family have paved their own path in the wrestling world over the past few years, Hart has had his own struggles ever since he left the wrestling scene. Hart overcame prostate cancer a few years ago, but this has obviously taken its toll on him and at the age of 60, it appears that Hart is looking worse for wear.

Hart was supposed to appear at on Raw's 25th Anniversary show back in January but it was reported that the star was struggling with a hand injury and needed to meet a consultant on that day. Injuries are catching up to the former World Champion to the point where he is now happy to cheer on his niece Natalya while she continues to wrestle for the company but he won't be wresting in a WWE ring again. Hart is someone who inspired a lot of current stars to first lace up their boots, but he's reached the point in his career where he can now look back in the past and leave it there, his future is now with his children and his grandchildren.

12 Aged Well: Big Show

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The Big Show hasn't been seen on WWE TV in almost a year and the World's Largest Athlete stated that his contract came to an end in February 2018. This has come and gone and The Big Show hasn't been seen in the company in that time, which means that it's likely that he has quietly retired, much like Mark Henry.

The Big Show is someone who has struggled with giantism throughout his life but has still always been able to put on a show for the WWE Universe. The stage was set for his match against Shaquille O'Neal at WrestleMania last year and Big Show even managed to lose a lot of weight and be seen in the best physical condition of his career, before it was revealed that the match wasn't happening. The last time the WWE Universe saw Big Show was back in 2017 when he lost his cage match to Braun Strowman, this was like a passing of the torch moment so that he could leave to undergo hip surgery and he has since been fighting to come back. The future of the former World Champion is still unknown, but it's hard to see WWE allowing him to retire without a fuss.

11 Not So Lucky: Dynamite Kid

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Dynamite Kid wasn't someone who was well liked backstage throughout his career and it was reported that he was one of the stars that relied on supplements to push him in the ring, which could be why the process of aging has sped up for him and he now looks worse than ever. Dynamite's health has declined quite rapidly over the past few years to the point where he has asked the WWE Universe for help since it appears that WWE is not willing to step in to offer support to one of their former stars.

Dynamite Kid is just 60 years old, but looking at the most recent images of him it would be easy to think that he was a lot older. Dynamite's side effects from his short stint in WWE have obviously played their role in the reason why he looks as old as he does right now, but his use of supplements also played their part. There are many wrestlers from that era who have aged rapidly because of the various enhancements that they relied on throughout their career, which is sad to see, but this was the something that was deemed acceptable at that time.

10 Aged Well: Trish Stratus

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Trish Stratus is a former seven-time Women's Champion, but she retired from WWE almost 12 years ago and in that time she has married and become the mother of two children. The WWE Hall of Famer was able to return to WWE back in January and proved that she definitely still had it and was still in incredible shape even though she hasn't wrestled in more than a decade.

Stratus has spent the last few years owning and running her own yoga studio in her hometown, which could be why she has remained in such great shape, but it appears that she has found a way to slow down the aging process as well. She is 41 years old, but still looks as good as she did when she was 30, her active lifestyle has obviously given her a number of benefits, but being a mother definitely works for the former Women's Champion as well, since many of the images that she has shared on her Instagram in recent weeks have proven that she is positively glowing. Stratus only gave birth to her daughter Madison back in January last year, but she has already managed to regain her famous figure.

9 Not So Lucky: Ric Flair

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Ric Flair isn't someone who was handed a lot genetically, it feels as though Flair has looked much older than he was for most of his career. It could be argued that because of this he has seemingly been aging for the past few decades, but it's only recently that he has finally started to show his age.

His recent bouts of illness have obviously had their effect as well as it appears that Flair's lifestyle from much earlier in his career has finally caught up with him.

The former 16-time World Champion has also had to go through four high profile divorces which has left him poorer than he has ever been and struggling to remain on course with payments for some of his utilities. Flair has had an exhausting few years, which could be why he is looking worse for wear right now, the two-time WWE Hall of Famer turns 70 next year so the aging process had to catch up to him at some point. With his daughter still at the top of the WWE Women's Division, the door is always open for Flair to make his return to the company at some point in the future.

8 Aged Well: Rey Mysterio

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One of the biggest shocks of 2018 was when Rey Mysterio made his way to the ring as one of the shock participants in this year's Royal Rumble match. The former World Champion hasn't been seen in WWE for three years and he made a surprise appearance in the match where he stole all of the headlines because he still looked incredible.

Mysterio has wrestled on the Independent Circuit in recent years, ever since he asked for his WWE release a few years ago and that has obviously worked for him. Rey has been able to bulk up and somehow this has allowed him to also look so much younger. The 2006 Rumble winner didn't miss a beat throughout the match and it's reported that WWE has been trying to sign him to a deal with the company ever since. Mysterio appeared once again as part of The Greatest Royal Rumble last month, where he continued to defy logic and belief. Mysterio is now set to appear at sold-out show All In in September, which has left his WWE status up in the air, but based on the two appearances that he has made this year, Mysterio has another WWE stint in him.

7 Not So Lucky: Shawn Michaels

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Shawn Michaels is a name that comes into every conversation when talking about some of the greatest wrestlers in the world, but Michaels had his own demons. Throughout his early career, Michaels' problems were well-documented but it took him a long time to turn his career around and that has always taken its toll.

Michaels made the decision to end his WWE career so that he could spend more time at home watching his children grow up almost a decade ago and has stood by his word and refused to return to the company for one last match in the years that have followed. He is now 52 years old and has given the best years of his life to the wrestling business which has left him in the position where he's now aging at quite a rapid rate. Michaels was seen as part of Raw 25 where he was almost unrecognizable and he recently shared images online showing that he had decided to cut his famous long blonde locks since he had started to lose his hair. Michaels is another legend who has is now fighting against the aging process and it's a battle that he is currently losing.

6 Aged Well: Kelly Kelly

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Kelly Kelly was signed to the WWE when she was just 19 years old without any prior wrestling experience and was able to then climb her way up through the ranks to become a former Divas Champion. Kelly left the company when she was still in her 20s, which is why she still looks young, there are former stars who weren't' able to start their career in the company until they were older than Kelly is right now, but at just 33 years old she can say that she's already had a successful stint in the company.

There were a number of rumours recently that the former WAGS star was looking to return to the ring following her divorce from Sheldon Souray, but her only notable appearance was when she was part of the Women's Royal Rumble earlier this year and still looked absolutely stunning. Kelly is one of the lucky stars who was able to make her career work when she was young, which means that she hasn't got to worry about aging for a number of years. The former Divas Champion easily looks as though she hasn't aged a day since she walked away from her wrestling career, which is incredible.

5 Not So Lucky: Sunny

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Much like Sable, Sunny was once one of the most attractive women in WWE, Sunny didn't have the same appeal as Sable though, she was seen as the girl next door who was able to align herself with a number of Tag Teams and then guide them to Championship gold. Sunny wasn't seen as a wrestler herself, but she is a WWE Hall of Famer since WWE decided to recognize her contributions to the company back in 2009.

The first ever WWE Diva would have been a forgettable name if it wasn't for the fact that she has been making news for all the wrong reasons over the past few years. Sunny has hit rock bottom a number of times and has finally got the help that she needed in recent years, after run-ins, issues with personal demons and a number of personal issues, including a cancer diagnosis. Sunny's struggles have obviously affected her both emotionally and physically and now compared to the woman that she was back in the 1990s, Sunny is unrecognizable. The last time the star was seen on WWE TV was back in 2011 and wasn't even invited back to the company for Raw 25 despite being an integral part of the beginning of the Divas Division, which shows that her wrestling career with WWE is definitely over.

4 Aged Well: Torrie Wilson

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Torrie Wilson is a former cover girl and a superstar who is best remembered for her participation in evening gown or women's garment matches than her in-ring ability. Wilson was brought over to WWE after a stint in WCW but was never seen as a real threat in their Women's Division, which could be why she was never able to lift a Women's Championship.

Torrie is the only star in the history of the company that can argue that she looks better now than she did when she was in WWE, which says a lot about her lifestyle.

Torrie is 42 years old and looks at least a decade younger since she has focused on becoming a fitness instructor and online blogger. Wilson appeared at The Royal Rumble back in January where she was able to show off her new figure and was definitely one of the biggest shocks of the show. Wilson has been working closely with WWE in recent years and with the current Women's Revolution taking center stage, it's hard to see the company overlooking the fact that Torrie still looks this great, so expect Torrie and many other female wrestling legends to return to the company again in the coming years.

3 Not So Lucky: Jake Roberts

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Jake Roberts has admitted that he started drinking when he was quite young because it was something that helped him to overcome his upbringing, which is something that the star has always been open about. This continued throughout his career as Roberts fought thought some real issues outside the ring before his retirement which has been plagued with illness and injury.

Roberts health has declined rapidly in recent years, but he was able to turn this around a few years ago when he was assisted by Diamond Dallas Page and he was then inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He has definitely had a rough life and it's understandable that he turned to some of the supplements that he did to cope, but the side effects of this level of abuse on his body have meant that he has aged at a rapid rate and his health has definitely suffered, the former star has talked about this openly in a number of different documentaries which makes his story quite a sad one. Roberts is one of the biggest legends that WWE has ever created but he is one that has overcome more issues than most which could be why he looks much older than his 62 years would suggest.

2 Aged Well: Batista

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The Animal is a former World Champion, but he decided to walk away from the company back in 2010 and looked to kick-start his acting career. When Batista returned to the WWE back in 2014 he has already been part of a number of films but still hadn't quite had his breakthrough.

The former World Champion left the company again later that year, which was when Guardians of The Galaxy was released and he proved that he could follow in The Rock's footsteps and make a name for himself in the acting world. In the years that have followed, he has retained his role as Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as being seen as James Bond villain Mr. Hinx in Spectre. Batista has stated that he could return to the WWE in the future but only as part of non-televised events and was even contracted to appear at WrestleMania 32, but he turned down the offer. Batista has made the switch over to acting quite well in recent years and looks impressive for a 49 year old.

1 Not So Lucky: John Cena

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John Cena is one of the biggest faces in WWE right now and even though it could be argued that he is technically still contracted to WWE, he is seen as a free agent which means that he only appears when he actually wants to. Cena made headlines recently because of his break up with former Divas Champion Nikki Bella, and off the back of this news, the former 16-time World Champion has decided to grow out his facial hair.

This wasn't a great decision for the former Champion since it has definitely made him look much older than he actually is, but it could be for an upcoming movie role since Cena has been spending a lot of his time working on projects outside of WWE lately. It's hard to believe that Cena is only 41 years old since he has been in WWE for so long now it's hard to imagine the company without him. He definitely looks older than his years suggest right now though, because of his recent decision to stop shaving. It is currently unknown when Cena will return to WWE or if he is taking a lengthy stint away from the company once again.