[humanracer25]

What is the best way?

Dignified exit after realising you are no longer on top form. Putting over your opponent in your final match.
STEVE AUSTIN
SHAWN MICHAELS

Constantly "retiring" before having a "comeback"
RIC FLAIR
HULK HOGAN

Not retiring but generally staying off TV and having matches at occasional big events.
THE ROCK
TRIPLE H

Being screwed in your last match with one company then being forced to retire due to injury with another. Then coming back not being able to wrestle properly but somehow winning a title as a "token gesture".
BRET HART

 

[Crowking]

The dignified exit putting someone over should be every wrestler's ideal exit.

Failing that, retiring as world champion with your last match at wrestlemania. Not bad...though it does nothing for the business.

 

[El Dandu]

I think the dignified exit is the easy choice given the options here. I'd imagine guys like HHH and Taker will put someone over in their last match too (assuming Taker retires anytime besides Mania).

 

[AmWolves10]

I hope Taker loses a token match at Extreme Rules, but I'm beginning to think he's only going to wrestle one match a year til he retires and win that one match every time.

 

[Firallon]

Why is it that people say every legend has to lose to a younger wrestler in their last match? It makes the legend look bad. And what is the young superstar going to brag about? That they beat an old, washed up old wrestler?

 

[Olympus]

Why is it that people say every legend has to lose to a younger wrestler in their last match? It makes the legend look bad. And what is the young superstar going to brag about? That they beat an old, washed up old wrestler?

Well if he's washed up then how could he possibly look bad? He's already washed up.

 

[Here To There]

HBK and Austin did it the way it should be done with all major stars: putting over another huge star in a great match at a major pay per view.

 

[NotAllThere]

Bret Hart is a special case. He didn't want to retire, he had a stroke and he had a ton of issues that were still there. If anyone believes anything post stroke was a wrestling match they are nuts. It was unnecessary, but at least he got to put on the gear one last time in front of a crowd. That is only fair to him.

 

[Emberdon]

HBK and Austin did it the way it should be done with all major stars: putting over another huge star in a great match at a major pay per view.

How did Austin put over Rock who was already bigger star/draw than him? Not to mention he beat the rock clean twice at mania.

 

[samizayn]

Retaining your world championship in front of 70,000 people in the biggest show of the year, with your best friend in your corner :cody2

 

[James Curran]

I like Not retiring but generally staying off TV and having matches at occasional big events.

I like it because then we can see wrestlers like Triple H in matches.

 

[Phil_Mc_90]

For me the best way is putting over a younger talent

Obviously Austin and Edge couldn't do that because of their careers finished on health grounds

Shawn Michaels/Ric Flair and Hogan should have put over a young talent in their final match and then stayed retired. Hogan should have had his final match putting over Orton at Summerslam, Flair should have gone out losing to Umaga at Mania 24 and Michaels should have been retired by someone like Sheamus.

As great as the Flair/Michaels and the Undertaker/Michaels matches were I really think they should have ended their careers losing to someone who could actually benefit from getting the win

 

[Spike]

Easily the dignified route. The Flair/Hogan approach has just led both of those guys to kinda ruin their legacies. Any kids who see their recent matches these days will think they're shit, which they're clearly not. As for The Rock/Triple H, it's a fair enough thing to do, but the company can kinda come to rely on those big names at times, which isn't great because it lets them get away with a weak roster.

 

[Shazayum]

The route HBK went. At the time he retired he could still wrestle but he wisely and correctly chose the right time to leave when he was healthy and people still saw him as not only a legend but still one of the best wrestler on the roster.

 

[-Halo-]

Car crash and doing it for the rock :troll

 

[FightingIrishMan]

the hbk way

 

[volunteer75]

I think the dignified exit is the easy choice given the options here. I'd imagine guys like HHH and Taker will put someone over in their last match too (assuming Taker retires anytime besides Mania).

Exactly

 

[humanracer25]

How did Austin put over Rock who was already bigger star/draw than him? Not to mention he beat the rock clean twice at mania.

Well he could have demanded he beat the Rock again but he put him over in his last match which you have to respect. Of course it was not billed as his last match.

 

[YoungGun_UK]

Shawn Michaels is the only one I'd say that's done it well.

 

[phoenixpanesar]

Flair I agree is the best. Had the ultimate send off.

I never think injury is the best way as it is forced upon them. I still think we will see Edge back. After HBK and Bret, returns are NEVER impossible, unless they're no longer with us.