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WHAT DO WRESTLERS DO AFTER THEY RETIRE?

The WWE has grown into a huge industry where pro wrestlers can become big stars and forge a bright future. Over the years, many professional wrestlers have used the WWE stage as a platform to achieve their goals. We saw it with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and his movie career, as well as Brock Lesnar’s stint in the MMA world.

Not all professional wrestlers get to make that jump to another platform or career while they are still a big name in the WWE realm. Some retired from the business at the end of their careers and simply fall off the radar. That brings us to the big question: what do pro wrestlers do after they retire?

Return to the WWE

Yes, many retired wrestlers have made a comeback over the years. Returning to the WWE to help the company establish new stars seems to be a popular thing to do these days. Shawn Michaels made a stunning return and forged one of the best storylines with Triple H and the Undertaker a couple of years ago.

There are a number of reasons why a return to the WWE is a good decision. For starters, pro wrestlers get a large portion of their incomes from merchandising. A return to the main stage can help reignite their brands. It is seen as a good financial decision and an opportunity not to be missed.

Another reason is to give back to the company. We saw this with The Rock when he first returned for a match with John Cena. He was in between major movies and didn’t have to make that comeback, but he did it anyway to help the then-struggling WWE gain more mainstream coverage. It worked; the WrestleMania featuring The Rock’s return was the most widely covered WWE event at the time.

Pursue Other Careers

It is also not uncommon for retired professional wrestlers to pursue other careers. We know Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker invest heavily in the real estate market. Kane, who is not officially retired yet, also runs his own insurance company as a way to prepare for retirement.

Other shifts are more extreme. Trevor Murdoch became a truck driver when he retired. Of course, we can’t talk about career shifts without talking about DDT and his DDT Fitness franchise. The business receives a lot of attention due to DDT’s reputation during his wrestling career.

Return to School

Interestingly, there is a growing number of wrestlers who return to school once they are no longer wrestling professionally. The presence of online courses, such as the online masters in software development program from Maryville University, have made going back to school a lot easier for these ex-wrestlers.

They are pursuing popular degrees – the online MSSD degree mentioned earlier included – to pursue careers in various fields. Some simply do it to fill time and make retirement more enjoyable.

Pro-wrestling is a high-paying job, but that doesn’t always guarantee a good retirement. For the majority of retired wrestlers, however, these are the things they do once they are no longer choke-slamming their opponent in the ring.

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