Considering that athletes and entertainers tend to have a hard time knowing when to step away from the spotlight, it shouldn’t be too surprising to hear that professional wrestlers also struggle to hang it all up. It’s not hard to understand why. The fame, the money, the thrill of it all...walking away from the professional wrestling business can be a big ask for people who may not have any other career options that will reward them with quite as much. That’s especially true of WWE performers who have reached the top of the mountain and can’t help but think of how hard that fall is going to be.

However, the number of wrestlers who should walk away from the spotlight and choose not to is not limited to the WWE roster. Across the world, there are wrestlers who are hanging in there even as the warning signs that it’s time to walk away begin piling up. Age, injuries, a bad attitude, decreasing in-ring abilities...there are many good reasons why certain wrestlers should just retire. You wouldn’t think that’s the case, though, when you look at these eight wrestlers outside of WWE and seven inside the company that need to call it quits.

15 Outside of WWE - Enzo Amore

via wrestlinginc.com

Enzo Amore was recently released by WWE after new evidence emerged concerning an earlier allegation of rape. Needless to say, that incident stirred up a bit of controversy. While the case itself is still playing out, Enzo Amore is technically a free agent. Obviously, it’s going to be tough for a promotion to approach him while this incident is being investigated. Even if it is dropped...well, we think Amore should just walk away from wrestling.

While he’s clearly got some passion and talent, Amore has consistently demonstrated that he lacks professionalism.

He was kicked out of the locker room, he posted several things on social media that suggested he is more interested in other things besides wrestling, and he generally seems like he’d be happier doing something else.

14 In WWE - Jeff Hardy

via wwe.com

Jeff Hardy’s career is a case study in why you should only give someone who consistently sabotages their own lives so many chances to succeed. WWE tried to help Jeff get his life together when substance abuse issues began to consume him, but Jeff reverted to his old ways. In TNA, the company barely even bothered to get Jeff to keep his habits under control. It looked like Jeff was finally back on-track when he returned to WWE, but the guy recently got pulled over for drinking and driving. The cops reported that Jeff was about three times over the legal limit when he was driving. At this point, it’s pretty clear that there’s a correlation between fame and Jeff’s worst habits. He needs to walk away and get his life together.

13 Outside of WWE - Teddy Hart

Via: wikipedia.org

Not familiar with Teddy Hart? Let us tell you some tales. In 1998, he became the youngest person to ever sign a WWE contract (he was 18). However, WWE released him over attitude issues. He since went to the indie circuit where he earned a reputation for performing ridiculous moves that put himself and others in danger. He even vomited after refusing to stop doing moonsaults from the top of a cage. ROH cut ties with him at that point, and Hart began working the indies. Since then, he has been accused by multiple women of sexual assault, has talked trash about nearly everyone he’s ever worked with and has never been able to shed his reputation for being unprofessional. He’s just not someone that deserves to do what he loves for a living.

12 In WWE - Kane

via youtube.com

Technically, Kane might be retired, but it’s difficult to tell at this point. Given that WWE still lists him as an active performer, we’re going to consider him someone who WWE might call upon for active duty if they need someone to fill a roster spot. We kind of hope that isn’t the case. Kane is a legend, but he’s not The Undertaker. He’s not a guy that you can just trot out once a year and hope that fans will latch on to him.

Kane is starting to look a little broken down and WWE is struggling to find a use for him.

Most importantly, Kane (Glenn Jacobs) is a very smart guy who could probably help WWE in a lot of other ways if he devotes himself to doing so. If he's elected mayor of Knox County later this year, that should spell the end of his wrestling career.

11 Outside of WWE - Christopher Daniels

Via: philly.com

Christopher Daniels is one of the best wrestlers to never have a proper run in WWE. He helped lead the indie wrestling revolution in the early 2000s as one of the “founding fathers” of Ring of Honor. He also helped TNA get off the ground during that time by providing the company with some truly great matches. He wasn’t always the champion - he rarely was - but Daniels has always been seen as one of the best on any given roster. However, Daniels is 46. That doesn’t make him ancient by any means, but the years of ring work will undoubtedly take their toll soon. We’ve seen some of the best wrestlers ever push themselves too hard for too long and end up paying for it. We’d rather see Daniels transition into something else.

10 In WWE - Nikki Bella

Via: wwe.com

It’s easy to talk trash about the Bella Twins - fun too - but fans do need to recognize what they’ve contributed. First off, they’ve both improved quite a bit since they joined WWE. Second, they have legitimately helped WWE gain additional exposure thanks to Total Divas and some of their other efforts. Lastly, Nikki Bella can actually play a legitimate heel if called upon to do so. All of that is great. However, it’s time for Nikki to join her sister and step aside. That’s not a hostile observation, but rather just a statement that recognizes that Nikki Bella might be better off pursuing other interests and that it’s going to be increasingly hard for her to fit in with WWE’s growing female roster unless WWE is willing to turn her into a full heel.

9 Outside of WWE - Tommy Dreamer

via si.com

Tommy Dreamer is a guy that should have never been a wrestling star. He was talented enough early on in his career, but he certainly wasn’t setting the world on fire. However, Paul Heyman saw him as the kind of guy that the fans would rally behind if he gave them a reason to. From that moment, Tommy Dreamer has been seen as a hardcore wrestling icon. Still, we’re willing to bet that many of you didn’t know that Dreamer is still technically an active wrestler.

Yes, at 47 years old, Dreamer is still brawling with the best of them. We wish he wouldn’t.

Dreamer could be invaluable in a behind-the-scenes role rather than as a guy who is brought in for some cheap pops.

8 In WWE - Curt Hawkins

Via: pinterest.com

Why is Curt Hawkins in WWE? Much like the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, the world may never know. From what we can gather, Hawkins is a well-liked guy who is reliable enough in the ring to keep around and is likely very professional. However, Hawkins is modern-day jobber. We’re not trying to be rude - you need guys like that on the roster - but it’s true. The thing about Hawkins, though, is that you instantly forget about him the moment that he’s out of the ring. If you’re going to utilize those kind of jobbers, you could just hire local talent. If you’re looking for someone you might be able to grow, there are plenty of better options out there.

7 Outside of WWE - Abyss

Via: youtube.com

Abyss is one of those guys you’ve only heard of if you’ve watched TNA/Impact at some point in the last 15 years or so. There was a time when Abyss was the true monster of TNA. He was a dominant force who largely existed to get other wrestlers over, but did an incredible job of it. Sure, he was also involved in some truly awful storylines, but you could say the same of The Undertaker and Kane.

Much like The Undertaker and Kane, Abyss’ wrestling days are clearly coming to an end.

While Abyss isn’t used as much as he was in the past, we honestly think it’s time that Impact Wrestling does the right thing and allows him to assume a backstage role and keep his health.

6 In WWE - Goldust

Via: wwe.com

A pretty easy call here. There was a time when Goldust was arguably the most creative character in wrestling.

He was way ahead of his time when he debuted during the WWE dark ages and deserves to be remembered as a true innovator. Since then...well, time hasn’t been kind to Goldust.

He’s had to overcome some real demons during his life. While he’s done that admirably, it’s clear that WWE hasn’t had much for Goldust to do since Cody left and his father passed away. It’s great that WWE has given Goldust an opportunity to redeem himself, but it’s time that they decide whether or not keeping him on the roster is really in anyone’s best interest. Honestly, we just don’t see how it is.

5 Outside of WWE- Kevin Sullivan

Via: youtube.com

Whether you remember Kevin Sullivan at all is probably pretty dependent on how much ‘90s WCW you watched. While Sullivan was wrestling for many years before then, that was the time that he became “The Taskmaster” and ran the most cartoonish group of villains WCW has ever seen; The Dungeon of Doom. That whole angle thankfully ended and Sullivan transitioned into more of a backstage role. However, Sullivan’s wrestling days didn’t end there. In 2002, he began wrestling for several indie promotions. While he mostly assumed a managerial role, that didn’t stop him from hopping into the ring. Given that Sullivan is 68 years old, it’s a little too late in the game to start worrying about his health. However, we’d still like to see him walk away.

4 In WWE - Brock Lesnar

Via: cagesideseats.com

Sometimes, it’s hard to know how to feel about Brock Lesnar. On the one hand, the guy transcends wrestling. He’s a true star whose presence makes a match, event, or even an organization feel bigger than it is. When he had his comeback championship run, WWE booked him like a true destroyer of worlds. He was incredible during that time. However, Lesnar has been treading water for quite some time now.

He’s lost a bit of his mystique, and he’s seemingly lost some of his desire to really go above and beyond and have anything but a “Brock Lesnar match.”

You can’t deny that Brock is one of the best when he’s at the top of his game and fully-motivated, but we very much doubt we’ll see that Brock many times again.

3 Outside of WWE - Bobby Lashley

Via: orlandosentinel.com

This one will certainly be a bit controversial simply because there are a lot of people who would love to see Lashley actually come in and replace Brock Lesnar on the WWE roster. It’s hard to blame them. Since leaving WWE, Lashley has found his form. He’s a much more confident performer who is able to better utilize his natural strength and athleticism. He’s one of the best on the Impact roster. The problem with Lashley is that WWE doesn’t need him and Impact likely won’t be able to afford him for long. WWE isn’t going to be able to replace Brock Lesnar with someone who has so many similar credentials too Lesnar, and they shouldn’t invest in him as such. It would be best if Lashley focuses on his MMA career and other interests.

2 In WWE - The Undertaker

Via: postandcourior.com

It’s impossible to not love The Undertaker. The guy has stuck with WWE through thick and thin and has been responsible for some of the absolute greatest moments and matches in the company’s history. He’s a legend among legends and the most obvious WWE Hall of Famer since Andre the Giant. However, it’s well-past time that Undertaker hung his boots up for real. Undertaker justified his few appearances a year when his WrestleMania streak was alive. Once that was gone...well, so were many of the reasons for Undertaker to occupy a high-profile spot each WrestleMania.

While we’re incredibly happy to think John Cena/Undertaker will happen at WrestleMania, it’s going to happen several years after it should have happened.

Undertaker’s performance against Roman Reigns at the last WrestleMania was all the proof anyone needed that he needs to call it a career.

1 Outside of WWE - Dulce Garcia

Via: diva-dirt.com

There was a time when Sexy Star was arguably the most notable female wrestler on the planet. In Mexico, she proved to an unforgiving audience and some truly tough veterans that she belonged in the same ring with the best wrestlers in the world, male or female. In promotions like Lucha Underground, she put on some incredible matches that shook the wrestling world. However, Star’s career has been compromised by her inability to contain her violent outbursts. On multiple occasions, Star has attacked and injured fellow wrestlers for real during matches. She’s also not known as someone who is willing and able to let other wrestlers win even when she is ordered to do so. She is talented and popular, but no promoter can justify continuing to hire her given her past.