Professional wrestling has always been a little different when it comes to the age at which its competitors can compete. The average age of the current locked room is likely older now than it ever has been before as wrestlers are able to carry on well into their 40s and sometimes even their 50s.

When DX battled the Brothers of Destruction in 2018, their combined age was 204 with three of them over fifty. When Goldberg infamously wrestled The Undertaker in Saudi Arabia, both men were over fifty. This may seem old, because it is, but shockingly, even older wrestlers have competed in WWE. Not including special appearances like WrestleMania 17's gimmick battle royal, these are the oldest stars to have ever wrestled in WWE.

UPDATE: 2024/03/16 17:30 EST BY JOEY HAVERFORD

Recent years have seen the topic of retirement changing, with Sting and Ric Flair each promoting their last match before truly retiring. WWE hopes to be the home of most all-time great wrestlers’ retirement matches, but other factors clearly come into play to make that difficult.

Age will see some names phased out of WWE and wanting to have another chance at the spotlight. Others just prefer a WWE return come in a fun battle royal or feel-good match to get the love and have a final moment of enjoying the moment. More matches will be featured to see just how old WWE allowed wrestlers to compete and the reasons why.

19 Triple H Had His Final Match At 51

Health Issues Caused Triple H To Retire Earlier

• Final Match Came Putting Over Randy Orton In Saudi Arabia
• Health Emergency Involving His Heart Led To Retirement
• Running WWE Show After Replacing Vince McMahon

Triple H wrestled what wound up being his final match in 2021. A no-contest against Randy Orton. However, most fans consider the match he wrestled against Batista at WrestleMania the year prior to be The Game's real farewell match even though we didn't know it at the time.

Triple H was forced into an early retirement in 2022 after undergoing emergency heart surgery. Although the word retirement usually doesn't mean much in wrestling, unfortunately for The Game, he is almost definitely done for good now that's running the show.

18 Fit Finlay Wrestled Final WWE Match At 52

WWE Releasing Finlay In 2010 Led To His Final Match There

• Fit Finlay Became Respected Veteran On WWE Roster
• Final WWE Match Was Vs Drew McIntyre On House Show
• Wrestled On Indie Circuit Before WWE Return As Producer

Fit Finlay was a full-time WWE competitor when he retired at the age of 52. Despite being over 50, he was still turning in solid matches on SmackDown against young stars like Drew McIntyre and John Morrison. He was even involved in a feud for the ECW Championship in 2009 at the age of 51.

Finlay also wasn't someone who started late, keeping his body healthy. Fit Finlay's first match was in 1974 when he was 16. This means that, by the time Finlay retired and moved behind the scenes, he had worked as a professional wrestler for almost 36 years.

17 Kevin Nash Had Final WWE Match At 52

Had Final WWE Run Ending Against Close Friend Triple H

• WWE Return Came In Controversial CM Punk Feud
• Plans Changed For Nash To Have Match Vs Triple H
• Nash Left WWE Afterwards & Had Final Match On Indies

Kevin Nash was a man who started really late in his career as a professional wrestler. Nash was 31 when he signed with WCW and started competing, and by the time he retired, his knees were in terrible shape. Nash knew he had to step away or he could risk never walking when he reached his later years.

Nash did keep working as long as he could, even after injuries wrecked his body. His final feud came in 2012. The 52-year-old Kevin Nash started feuding with up-and-coming rising star CM Punk, and it ended up as one of Punk's most disappointing feuds and a poor swan song for the former Diesel.

16 Shane McMahon Had Embarrassing Match At 53

Suffered Injury In Final Match Unless He Has Another WWE Return

• Became A Part-Time Wrestler For WWE After 2016 Return
• Had Falling Out With WWE For Backstage Reasons Previous Year
• Returned In Surprise WM Match That Saw Him Suffering Brutal Injury

There was a time when it felt like Shane McMahon would be heavily involved in running WWE once his dad started to wind things down. That doesn't appear to be the plan anymore, although even though Shane O'Mac is now in his fifties, he continues to make the odd in-ring appearance and still tries to push things a little too far.

Shane didn't get the chance to do that during what might be the last time he ever appears as a competitor in a WWE ring. Coming to the ring as a surprise opponent for The Miz at WrestleMania 39 aged 53, seconds later Shane performed a leapfrog and tore his quad. Snoop Dogg stepped in and finished the match for him.

15 Kane Had Final Royal Rumble Performance At 51 Years Old

Big Red Monster Going To Political World Made Return Matches Less Likely

• Final Advertised Match Was The Embarrassing Saudi Arabia Tag Match
• Delivered One More Match In 2021 Men's Royal Rumble Match
• Political Career Keeps Him Away From More WWE Return Moments

Kane retired in his late 40s when he decided to run for public office and won the election to become the Mayor of Knox County in Tennessee. However, he took time away from his work as the mayor to return to WWE for a special match with Undertaker against Shawn Michaels and Triple H at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia at the age of 51.

Kane returned at the age of 52 and won the 24/7 title from R-Truth, teasing even more matches after being attacked by Bray Wyatt. However, his last match as of now was the 2021 men's Royal Rumble in which he eliminated Dolph Ziggler and Ricochet, doing so at the age of 53. Kane has not ruled out another return to a WWE ring in the future.

14 Shawn Michaels Had Regretful Final Match At 53

Ruined Perfect Retirement When WWE Convinced Him To Return

• Had Dream Retirement Moment In WM 26 Main Event Vs Undertaker
• WWE Talked Michaels Into Coming Back For Big Money Tag Match
• Horrible Match Made Michaels Return Feel Like All-Time Disappointment

Shawn Michaels was the one wrestler fans would point to when saying that someone would finally stick to a promise of never returning to the ring after retirement. HBK was 44 when he lost to Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI and retired from WWE. Despite fans begging him to return for dream matches against young stars, he refused.

That changed in 2018 when Michaels came out of retirement for one match in Saudi Arabia, where he teamed with Triple H to beat Kane and The Undertaker at Crown Jewel. Shawn was 53 in that match and he said after it ended that he would not return to the ring to wrestle again. Michaels seems content with his role today running the NXT brand.

13 Hulk Hogan Had Final WWE Match At 53 Years Old

Legend Vs Legend Killer Feud With Orton Was His Final WWE Match

• Left WWE For Many Years After Defeating Orton In 2006
• Had More Matches In TNA To Officially End In-Ring Career
• Returned To WWE At 60 When Too Old To Get Cleared

Hulk Hogan began his career in the 1970s and then became the biggest star in WWE during the 1980s. From, 1983 through to 1993, Hogan was the world champion almost consistently, the most over babyface in professional wrestling history. By the time his WWE run came to an end and Hogan left for WCW in 1994, he was already 41.

However, in 1996, Hogan had a career revival and became the leader of the NWO and one of the most hated villains in wrestling (helping WCW finally beat WWE in the ratings). When WCW went under, Hogan wasn't finished. He returned to WWE in 2002 and again in 2005. By the time Hulk Hogan wrestled his final match in WWE, he was 53 years old.

12 Jacqueline Returned In Rumble Match At 54

WWE Wanted To Show Some Respect To Previous Women

• Was Rare Credible Women's Champion During Attitude Era
• Appeared In First-Ever Women's Rumble Match With Comeback
• Was Already Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame Before Rumble

Jacqueline was best known for her antics alongside the APA during her initial run with WWE, signing with the promotion between 1998 and 2004 after coming close to making her debut a few years prior. A two-time Women's Champion and WWE Hall of Famer, Jackie doesn't often get the credit she deserves for her contributions to women's wrestling.

Jacqueline is one of many female stars to have been brought back for Royal Rumble cameos since the women got a 30-person match of their own. Entering the match in 2018, the first-ever women's Rumble, Jackie was 54 at the time, making her among the oldest women to ever compete for the company.

11 Goldberg Had His Final WWE Match At 55

Hopes To Have An Official Retirement Match Again Somewhere

• Expected To Have Another Match After The Roman Loss
• Felt Betrayed Vince Went Back On Word For Retirement Match
• Hopes To Have One More Match Whether In WWE Or Elsewhere

Goldberg was a late starter, beginning his career at the age of 30. While he has continued to wrestle into his fifties and remains in amazing shape, his retirement from 2004-2015 meant he only had a little over a decade of professional wrestling experience and very little in the way of bumps breaking his body down.

Bill Goldberg was 50 when he defended the Universal Title against Brock Lesnar, winning it at the age of 49. He kept coming back too, including a match at SummerSlam in 2021 against Bobby Lashley at the age of 54. His final WWE match until now was a losing effort against Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber 2022 which he wrestled at the age of 55. Goldberg has made it clear he wants to wrestle again, but that match will likely happen away from WWE.

10 The Undertaker Finally Retired At 55 Years Old

Teased Retirement More Times Before Finally Having Final Match

• Undertaker Had Trouble Being Happy With A "Final Match"
• Finally Got His Dream Retirement Feeling Vs AJ Styles
• Cinematic Match Allowed Undertaker To Hide Flaws

Undertaker is one year older than Hulk Hogan and outlasted him in WWE. While he wasn't a full-time wrestler by any means at the end of his career, he was still returning for WrestleMania every year until he finally retired in 2020 at the age of 55.

The Undertaker has been wrestling for a long time, his career starting at the age of 19 in World Class Championship Wrestling before he moved on to Memphis, WCW, and finally WWE as The Undertaker. He has been with WWE since 1990.

9 Sting Was Unhappy With His Final WWE Match At 56

Disappointing Closure Made Him Want To Return To AEW For Another Run

• Final WWE Match Vs Rollins Ended In Bad Injury
• Sting Felt Incomplete With His Career Ending Here
• AEW Return Just Led To All-Time Great Retirement Run

Sting was the one man who never went to WWE. He was the biggest star in WCW, their most recognizable babyface, and the face of the company through its highs and lows. When WCW shut down, he refused to go to WWE and instead went to TNA Impact Wrestling, working there for many years. It looked like he would never compete in WWE.

Then, WWE brought in Sting and he wrestled his first match ever for the company at WrestleMania 31, controversially losing to Triple H. Sting then had a few more matches, but his WWE career ended at the age of 56 when he took a bad bump in a match with Seth Rollins. Sting retired but made his return in 2020 for AEW, where he recently had a tremendous retirement match.

8 Steve Austin Came Back For Match At 57

Wanted To Have His "Final Match" On Own Terms In Texas

• Austin Ended Retirement For One More Match After 20 Years
• WM 40 Being In Texas Made The Return More Tempting
• Austin Had A Dream Moment Ending His Career In Major Way

Stone Cold Steve Austin was often regarded as the one person who would never go back on their retirement. Quietly competing in his last match at WrestleMania 19 against The Rock aged just 38, you might have thought Austin had more left in the tank, but he was happy to walk off into the sunset.

That was until 19 years later at the age of 57 when Kevin Owens convinced Austin to have one more match. Competing in the main event of WrestleMania 38 night one, Stone Cold brawled around the ring with KO and proved he's still got it. So much so that WWE tried to get him back for another match the following year.

7 Ric Flair Received Perfect Retirement Match At 59

Harmed His WWE Retirement By Wrestling More Times Elsewhere

• WWE Booked Dream Retirement Angle For Ric Flair
• Shawn Michaels Defeated Him Legendary WM Match
• Flair's Various Comebacks Outside Of WWE Ruined Moment

Nature Boy Ric Flair is in his seventies but acts like he's still 20-something despite a number of health scares. Flair has faced death many times over, including a plane crash when he was a young wrestler in the NWA — one that he not only survived but came back stronger than before, ending up as the greatest champion in NWA/WCW history.

Flair made his debut in WWE in 1991 as the "true world champion." What most people don't realize is that he was 42 the first time he ever wrestled in WWE, winning his first World Title there in the iconic 1992 Royal Rumble match. Flair returned to WWE multiple times, losing his famous retirement match at WrestleMania 24 aged 59. He has wrestled in Impact since then, and even at his own independent show in 2022, but never again in WWE.

6 Ivory Had Rumble Match At 61

WWE Wanted To Honor Ivory's Legendary Career

• Returned For Battle Royal Guest Spot At Evolution
• Had Similar Role Using Right To Censor Act In Rumble
• Played Huge Role In Women's Wrestling Before It Got Bigger

Like Jacqueline, Ivory is a female star who doesn't get the credit she deserves for the part she played during a WWE era when women were viewed as less than and little more than eye candy. Part of Right To Censor, a former Women's Champion, and also in the Hall of Fame, Ivory was a great wrestler.

She proved as recently as the 2022 women's Royal Rumble that she's still got it too. Returning for a battle royal at Evolution in 2018 was impressive, but coming back for more at the age of 61 in the 2022 women's Royal Rumble was an even greater achievement.

5 Terry Funk's ECW WWE Return Came At 62

Got To Have Final WWE Match With Two Closest Wrestler Friends

• Came Back To WWE For ECW One Night Stand 2006 Event
• Faced His Greatest Rival & Protege Mick Foley One Las Time
• Teamed With Another Longtime Close Friend Tommy Dreamer

Here is the ridiculous truth about Terry Funk - he became the NWA World Champion in 1975 by beating Jack Brisco for the title. Funk was 31 when he won that title. He competed at the second WrestleMania when he was 42. When ECW started, Funk showed up and became a hardcore wrestler, and even won the WCW World Title at the age of 53.

In 1997, Terry Funk returned to WWE as Chainsaw Charlie, teaming with Cactus Jack. The two helped put over the young New Age Outlaws and Funk left again in 1998 at the age of 54. Finally, Funk returned to WWE for one last match at ECW One Night Stand in 2006 and wrestled again aged 62.

4 Jerry Lawler Had Final WWE Match Back At 62

Terrifying Night Of Heart Attack Was Final WWE Chance In Ring

• WWE Used To Let Lawler Have Occasional Match As Commentator
• Heart Attack In Tag Match Vs Dolph Ziggler & CM Punk Ended That
• Lawler Is Allowed To Work Indie Matches & Had One At 73 Years Old

Jerry "The King" Lawler is 73 and still wrestled on the indies until a recent health scare. However, the very last time that Lawler wrestled for WWE, he almost died. That was in 2012 when Lawler teamed up with Randy Orton to beat CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler.

That would be Lawler's last match ever in WWE because, after the match, Lawler returned to commentary and suffered a heart attack. Lawler's heart stopped, but he was saved thanks to the medical personnel on hand. That match took place when Jerry Lawler was 62, and it was the last time WWE allowed him to compete.

3 Vince McMahon Faced Pat McAfee At 76

Took All-Time Ugly Bump From Stone Cold Stunner

• Booked Himself To Defeat Pat McAfee At Extremely Old Age
• Austin Stunned Vince Afterwards To Honor Their History
• Vince Will Likely Never Appear On WWE TV Ever Again

As the owner of WWE, Vince McMahon can do things others can't. It also doesn't help that McMahon likely feels he's invincible, still taking bumps as recently as WrestleMania 38. He has let Brock Lesnar F5 him, Kevin Owens headbutt him, and Roman Reigns nail him with a Superman Punch.

In 1999, McMahon was the oldest wrestler to ever win the WWE World Championship at the age of 54. He also won the ECW Title in 2007 aged 62. At WrestleMania 26, McMahon fought Bret Hart at the age of 65 and in 2012 booked himself to wrestle CM Punk. It was a while before McMahon decided he was still match ready after that, returning for yet another match against Pat McAfee at WrestleMania 38. McMahon was 76 at the time, taking one of the worst Stunners from Austin you will ever see.

2 Fabulous Moolah Had A Match At 81 For WWE

Final WWE Match Came In Comedy Tag Team Against Torrie & Dawn

• Received A Final Match In 2004 Teaming With Mae Young
• Story Showed Tension Between Torrie Wilson & Dawn Marie
• WWE Viewed Moolah As Deserving "G.O.A.T." Respect

Fabulous Moolah was one of the trailblazers when it comes to women's wrestling. She was the NWA women's champion starting in 1956 and held the title for 28 years. She joined WWE in the 1980s and won the WWF Women's Championship in 1985 at the age of 62. This was during the Rock and Wrestling Era of WWE, and she held the title for two years.

In 1998, Moolah returned to WWE in a more comedic role at the age of 75. She ended up wrestling in this return as well, against women that were a quarter of her age. She became the first octogenarian to compete in WWE at the age of 80 and competed in her last match at the age of 81.

1 Mae Young Had A Shocking Match At 87

Defeated LayCool In Handicap Match For Wholesome Moment

• WWE Wanted To Give Mae Young One More Moment At 87
• Defeated Michelle McCool & Layla In A Feel Good Comedy Match
• Mae Young Was Honored After Passing With Mae Young Classic

Fabulous Moolah died in 2007 at the age of 84. This meant that her close friend Mae Young was able to eclipse her and became the oldest wrestler to ever compete in a WWE ring. Mae Young began her career in 1939 at the age of 16. She then worked all over the world from then until 1968, eventually turning up in WWE more than 30 years later.

Mae Young was part of the comedic storylines involving Fabulous Moolah, as the two elderly female wrestlers began to compete with younger girls. In 2010, Mae Young shocked the world when she wrestled against LayCool, beating them at the age of 87.