The Rock & 8 Others Who Quit Wrestling Too Soon

If there is one thing WWE has been guilty of over the years, it is allowing wrestlers to hang around for way too long. Hulk Hogan was still wrestling into his 60s and the company had to force Ric Flair to finally stop stepping into the ring. The company even had Mae Young wrestle when she was well into her 80s.

While this seems shocking, it isn't a surprise in the world of wrestling. Older stars from yesteryear never want to let go. However, there were some top stars in recent years who had career plans that involved leaving early. Injury shortened careers are not included here.

9 CM Punk (35)

CM Punk retired from professional wrestling for one main reason. He was no longer happy with the direction of his career in WWE and knew that he had done everything he set out to accomplish in the industry. The things he didn't accomplish might never happen, such as working the main event at WrestleMania, so he left. Punk retired as a six-time world champion at the age of 35. He has since tried his hand in the UFC but said he has no desire to return to wrestling.

8 Trish Stratus (30)

While Trish Stratus came back and wrestled a few matches in recent years, they were just special appearances. In reality, Stratus cut her remarkable career short at a very young age. On Sept. 17, 2006, Stratus won the WWE Women's Championship from her long-time rival Lita and then retired immediately after winning the seventh title of her career.

Stratus was only 30 when she retired, and she left on her terms and in perfect health. Despite retiring at a young age, Stratus held the WWE women's title longer than anyone outside of Fabulous Moolah.

7 Nigel McGuinness (34)

Many fans believe Nigel McGuinness retired from professional wrestling due to an illness. However, this is not true. McGuinness had a chance to sign with WWE, but when they discovered he had a biceps injury, they canceled his deal. He went on to Impact Wrestling instead, fixed his bicep, and worked there as Desmond Wolfe.

However, his tenure there was cut short when he tested positive for Hepatitis. He ended up cleared from that but decided to retire since he no longer had a chance to sign with WWE and didn't enjoy his time in Impact Wrestling. He went on a retirement tour and then called it quits.

6 AJ Lee (28)

AJ Lee came to WWE as a massive fan of professional wrestling. One of the best videos released was when a very young Lee broke into tears when she met Lita at an autograph signing, and it was clear that she always wanted to work in wrestling. She was very successful as well when she arrived.

However, as fast as Lee rose the ranks of WWE, she was finished and retired from her in-ring career. Lee married CM Punk and left a year after he quit. AJ Lee retired at the young age of 28.

5 The Rock (32)

When Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson started in WWE, he was destined for greatness. However, no one expected that The Rock would be not only the most electrifying man in sports entertainment but also the hottest movie star in all of Hollywood. That is what happened, and that is what drove him out of wrestling. While The Rock has never officially retired and has returned for a handful of matches over the years, The Rock had seemingly called it quits after WrestleMania XX at the age of 32. He wouldn't return to the ring until 2011, over seven years later.

4 Molly Holly (27)

Molly Holly with the Women's Championship

Molly Holly is another WWE Hall of Fame female superstar who ended her career at a very young age. Holly worked in WCW to start her career as Miss Madness and Mona and then moved on to WWE, where she worked as Molly Holly and Mighty Molly.

Over her short career, she became a two-time WWE Women's Champion and won the Hardcore Title on one occasion as well. Her wrestling career came to an end in April 2005 when she left WWE at the age of 27.

3 Muhammad Hassan (25)

Muhammad Hassan was someone who had a bright future in professional wrestling, but WWE creative booking not only doomed his gimmick but effectively ended his career. The gimmick was that Muhammad Hassan was an Arab-American, born in the United States and a citizen of the country who faced rampant bigotry and hatred based on his Islamic religion and Arab-heritage.

However, WWE pushed it into more of a terrorist angle, and advertisers threatened to cut ties, so WWE cut Hassan for doing his job too well. He was 25 when he retired.

2 Lita (31)

Just like her rival Trish Stratus, Lita decided to call it quits and hang up her wrestling boots at a young age. Lita was who Stratus beat in her retirement match, and Lita had a big finish to her career as well. Since she was a villain, Lita ended her career in WWE with a loss, dropping her WWE Women's Championship to Mickey James. Stratus was 30 when she retired, and Lita was only one year older when she chose retirement, leaving the ring at the age of 31.

1 Ted DiBiase Jr. (30)

Right now, Cody Rhodes is one of the biggest names in professional wrestling as one of the faces of AEW. His career on the main WWE roster coincided with the introduction of another second-generation star in Ted DiBiase Jr. While Cody is a major star now, DiBiase is entirely out of the business. The son of The Million Dollar Man had the look of a top star, but he never got over with the fans. His last televised match in WWE came in May 2013, and he retired at the age of 30.

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