10 Wrestlers Who Had A Late Career Renaissance

[@jakalamgd]

the fact that sting could still go despite being over 60 is crazy

[@CohenMuller]

Facts bro that truth

[@SpaceGhost92]

Could he though? Doing a spot is not being able to “go”

[@JWS1985]

They did right by him and did a great job hiding his weaknesses. He was able to preserve his mystique.

[@samhayden60]

One could argue that he's more than just showing he can still go, he's actually enhanced his reputation. Some of the names in this list still petered out towards the end in terms of quality or smoothness. I don't think you can say that about Sting.

[@prj7894]

yeah doing one spot per match is so difficult and burying all younger talents is so much promising

[@jeremywilliams5141]

Honorable mentions: 1. Billy Gunn in AEW 2. Terry Funk in ECW

[@TheBuddha337]

I'd agree, I'm surprised Terry wasn't on the list.

[@jeremywilliams5141]

@@TheBuddha337 I mean he won the ECW World title at Barely Legal in 1997 for crying out loud. He won a 4-way match and faced Raven immediately.

[@BlankHead87]

billy gun yes..but terry in his young days are quite good and very successful..quite contradict with the title of the video in my opinion

[@Fluoride_Jones]

@@BlankHead87 Well, to be fair, Sting was quite good in his young days, as well!

[@rohitchaoji]

@@TheBuddha337 I guess he wasn't included because he never really "fell off" in his career. He was a consistently great and respected worker throughout. Although I agree he did have a "renaissance" when he became a hardcore wrestling icon after spending two decades as a technical style worker.

[@Limonelguey]

Finlay's always made his feuds seem personal with his opponents which made him one of the best heels in smackdown during the ruthless aggression era.

[@gordonrundell3260]

He brought a realness to the fueds

[@user-mn9wc5ru5w]

MY NAME IS FINLAY, AND I LOVE TO FIGHT

[@StrangeHammer]

Right? Even as a teen who was getting too cool for wrestling Finlay and JBL were 2 guys that still had me like “ah man they’re gonna wreck (insert SD midcard babyface)”

[@TheRealAhoy]

Finlay's run in wwe was absolutely great. A solid upper midcarder, til he turned face and became Hornswoggle's backup 😬

[@Limonelguey]

I think Finlay should have been a main event heel in smackdown. He had great feuds with Lashley, Batista, and Rey Mysterio. Lashley and Finlay was especially good, it almost seemed very personal.

[@lilsunny7399]

If only anyone else from my country could make it big. Sadly for David Finlay and Big Damo, Indies aren't the big time.@@Limonelguey

[@cchisolm92cc]

​@@LimonelgueyFinlay was older though.

[@camerondalton1495]

His gimmick and age likely held him back from that.

[@MegaBroski12]

Is he in the HOF yet

[@Aztyph]

Honestly surprised that you didn't mention The Bar as part of Sheamus' career renaissance. That's the first time I remember the IWC really starting to give him props.

[@a.j.santiago303]

Low key, The Bar was an incredible tag team.

[@yaboiricku919]

​@@a.j.santiago303 high key

[@aaronhurst4379]

Beat me to it, 100% agreed

[@robertocioffi2523]

What's the IWC?

[@Aztyph]

@@robertocioffi2523 Internet Wrestling Community. Just a fancy way of saying "online wresting fans" that somehow caught on.

[@flippineck2825]

Finlay was given the divas to work with as a rib. He is the entire reason we got Trish Stratus as we know her & the first golden years for the women, a pilot run of present day really. Trish, Lita, Ivory, Jazz, Molly, Gail, Victoria, Mickie... then he was put on tv & they released Jazz, Gail, Molly & Ivory in one fell swoop 🙃

[@aspectra]

Yep, Batista also credits Finlay for helping him move up the card, and also requested that Finlay be the one to induct him into the WWE HOF when it's his time.

[@kingwokester7324]

Finlay was my dude back in 2007 when I started watching wrestling. It took me a few years later to realize that he was wrestling that damn good in his 50s.

[@jarlwhiterun7478]

Starting in 07 lolol

[@kingwokester7324]

@@jarlwhiterun7478 I’m sorry for being for not being as much of a toxic smark as you.

[@miguelnewmexico8641]

@@kingwokester7324 well i have good news! saying that just made you one. congratulations.

[@dree35]

​@miguelnewmexico8641 it didn't but ok lol

[@therealmohammad]

But he was a jobber to the stars

[@PhysicalMediaPreventsWea-bx1zm]

Finley had a great backstage job in WWE. He was in charge of the divas! He supervised their training and handled most of their bookings. Great work if you can get it!

[@MaX333castillo]

Rewatching Finlays run made me appreciate him so much more and made him one of my favorites! Love his heel work in the ring plus just watching his ring of honor matches

[@MilanoCollectionAK]

I am SHOCKED that Billy Gunn isn’t on this list. I would argue he’s been more over as “Daddy Ass” than any other time in his career. Honestly now that I think about it, same could be said about Christian Cage and his renaissance of 2023.

[@ArthurKillingsworthJr]

Agreed

[@user-mn9wc5ru5w]

I don't watch wrestling whatsoever anymore or follow it even in the slightest. No idea how this video came up in my feed. But I'll say as a HUGE fan during the attitude era, and growing up in the late 80s and early 90s with Hogan, Undertaker, Savage, Warrior, etc as well as awesome characters like Haku, Warlock, Model Martell, Atom Bomb, I'll say thats awesome that Billy Gunn is doing big things in the business. Last I heard about him was years ago that he was big into fitness and strength sports. Dude had phenomenal charisma, he just happened to come up during a time where the main events were so full of all time GOAT performers that there was no room for him there. In most other eras he'd have been a legit top tier heel for a long time but in the attitude era he got kinda buried under HHH, The Rock, Austin, Y2J, Kane, Angle, Undertaker, Big Show, etc

[@JW82231]

Were you around for 90s DX?

[@CoopenhagenX]

I'm struggling to see how Shawn Michaels isn't on this. "Well he had a great early career too" true. So did Sting. And Goldberg. "He never was that old when he retired" fair, but the fact that a lot of people think he was putting on his best work at the tail end of his career... I dunno, I'm a bias HBK mark but feels like a miss to me

[@JDTStagg-]

Although I would obviously not be against it in the slightest if HBK was included in the list, he was around 37 when he came back, which I can also understand why it’s not included with the key term being ‘late career’. Between him coming back and retiring (the Saudi match never happened 😂), he was constantly performing at a high level, so I can understand why he’s not included in this list when most of the people were a decade older than he was during their renaissance

[@jsmith3946]

@@JDTStagg- na his latter matches suck ass

[@sreenaths6829]

To be fair, his career didn't need a "late renaissance" because he was a top tier performer throughout his career!

[@SCSAsJorts]

I mean when you look at who’s on the list I think HBK not being here was more so ppl knew if he did come back he’d be Mr mania regardless, ppl on this list were what many considered past their peak and possibly forgotten about and then came out of nowhere to captivate many before fully hanging it up.

[@GinkgoPete]

Its probably because Shawn was a Top 2 performer of all time and then continued to be just that after returning.

[@MarkieDood]

I didn't get into wrestling until a few years after the death of WCW, Sting in TNA had the misfortune of happening in TNA, and his WWE run was executed about as well as anything else in mid-2010s WWE. To me, Sting was always just another one of those guys from the 90s that I understood was hot at one point in his career, but had long since ceased to be worth caring about by the time I came around. A nostalgia act I was too young to "get" -- that's what I thought Sting was. I am grateful for his AEW run. I feel like I've finally been given an opportunity to appreciate Sting, and have grown as a wrestling fan in doing so. For the first time, when someone says "Sting is one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time," I am capable of understanding and agreeing with what they are saying.

[@user-mn9wc5ru5w]

I'd suggest going back and watching some compilations and whatnot of his crow run when it first started. It was a real dark aura injected into WCW, which at the time was like a children's cartoon. Sting just sitting in the rafter watching everyone, not saying a single word for like an entire year, finally getting in the ring and just being one man against all, no factions, no friends, just Sting versus the world, Sting versus whoever and whatever was in his way.

[@Cosmic_Gorilla]

Surprised Lance Archer didn't make the list, he really put it all together and realised his potential in the 2019 G1 Climax at the age of 41.

[@neighslayer768]

I think it's more of him reaching the prime of his career at that point.

[@HalibutAcid]

The craziest part about Mae Young's table spot is she DEMANED that Ray bring the heat, according to Ray himself.

[@outpost206]

I feel like there could be a whole list for guys who attempted a career resurgence but for whatever reason, it never panned out. Marty Jannetty in the early 2000's, Tatanka in the mid 2000's, King Kong Bundy in 1994, and I'm sure WCW and ECW had some misses as well but I'm blanking at the moment.

[@TottiMessiTorres]

Surprised not to see Christian Cage on this list. Currently doing the best character work of his career at 50 years old following a lengthy retirement.

[@spamaccount8979]

Unpopular opinion but I loved his WW-ECW run

[@declangaming24]

​@@spamaccount8979it was a good run

[@rickyrosay33977]

Finlay was great during the ruthless aggression era

[@dlcdnl]

I think Lesnar's face persona in the last couple of years deserves a shout

[@connorledwith98]

I’m starting out wrestling as we speak in my mid 20’s, and I’m genuinely glad I’ve lived my youthful adult years the way I have and picked it up quite late as compared to some. Hoping it means I’ll stay healthier compared to some of the more experienced wrestlers my age who, at the time, will have wrestled far longer than me. Got a long way to go yet, need to smash cardio, gain about 40-60 pounds over time and learn the basics. Oh, and I’m also doing Judo classes to toughen myself up. I took my first bump a few weeks ago (just a standard body slam) and it felt like I got shot in my lower back 🤣 I’ve got a long journey ahead, but I’m hoping that 5-10 years down the line I maybe make a living out of this sport that I love so dearly 🫶🏻

[@kami_in_the_skye]

Best of luck!

[@miguelnewmexico8641]

hey man, im pulling for you. DDP didn't really start til he was something like 35. im sure he was trained a little, but he was a manager until then. if memory serves me. and another thing, check out You Can Not Kill David Arquette. if he can do what he did in that movie just to prove a point, you've got plenty of time.

[@sweetjulius440]

I knew Finlay was older but 47 when he debuted!!! That’s actually insane

[@boundsy88]

Sheamus' greatest moment has still yet to come. The moment he wins the intercontinental championship is going to feel like winning the WWE championship for him.

[@oscardaslouch]

Surprised there’s no mention of R-Truth… 🤔

[@slaplist8377]

Back after WM 40 to say the Rock is an Honorable mention. Final Boss Rock was one of best versions of his character and looked so good the tag match he had against Rhodes and Rollins.

[@JaimeD.]

My name is Finlay, and I love to fight! 🍀

[@citizenstrife]

Finlay loved to fight, and he was amazing at it.

[@MarashcinoLarry]

Mark Henry’s Hall of Pain run is one of my all time favorites. His salmon jacket promo was just beautiful!

[@RariShiesty]

I feel like Billy Gunn could be on that list

[@a.j.santiago303]

Um...Shawn Michaels, anyone? He may have never wrestled again after 1998, yet his second act was probably even better than his first.

[@zacharysolano6375]

To be fair was he really in his “late career” when he came back the second time? Sure 4 (or how ever long it was again) years away ain’t nothing to scoff at but I’d say thats nothing compared to some other wrestlers.

[@LonewolfJesseJames506]

Thanks for the content, ya'll never fail to make us laugh.."lucky to go to the toilet under your own power at that age" had me cracking up and then "we like to say in the business, old as balls" LMFAO great content 👍

[@mjdf122]

Terry Funk’s career from 1993 on was a great late career renaissance

[@killercroc99]

Mae Young got power bombed at 77 and got butthurt that Bubba held back. "If you're gonna do that to me, do it like I'm one of the boys." Then she was all smiles and hugs when he gave it to her a second time. At 77.

[@benediktwindisch2778]

Sting and Dusty still doing it since the early/mid 90s is absolutely crazy and they're freaking legends

[@robertclark2253]

You as a Brit should know long before going stateside Fit Finlay was a very prominent heel here in the UK particularly in his numerous matches in singles and tag team action against Big Daddy . Finlay's partner in most of his matches against Big Daddy was Giant Haystacks who also joined WCW as Loch Ness a supposed wrestler from Scotland despite being born in Camberwell southeast London and of Irish heritage . Daddy, Haystacks and Finlay were legends of British wrestling along with Alan Kilby , Ironfist Clive Myers and the original Kendo Nagasaki back in the 80's . Still wrestling at the time Mick McManus , Pat Roach , Johnny Saint , Catweasel and occasionally Les Kellett and Exotic Adrian Street .

[@insomniacbritgaming1632]

The Match that changed Takers streak for the better, was his match with HHH at WMX7... WMX8 was Ric Flair another great match, his only one stinker, was WM19...

[@janeloveswhoseline]

I would put Trish Stratus on this least as well- retired from full time wrestling in 2006, but her run in 2023 was pretty phenomenal Shawn Michaels as well- Got better when he returned in 2002 until his WrestleMania 26 match against undertaker

[@TheBuddha337]

I still remember watching that PPV with my dad, when he beat cena for the title. We were both in such shock. 😂

[@kevinhousen2791]

Mark Henry's main event run was awesome.

[@VegazParrelli1981]

I’ve been gone for too long. Adam with a beard is huge surprise.

[@neighslayer768]

Honorable mention to Satoshi Kojima. NJPW's strong arm has fallen into the dad role of enhancement talent with the rise of Okada, Naito and Nakamura this past decade. But starting in 2021 thanks to an excellent match with MOX at All Out '21, Kojima has had himself a Renaissance. World champ and tag champ in NOAH last year. AJPW tournament winner this year. Part of a bread throwing celebration in MLW last week. How is this man 52 years old?

[@israelparper6080]

I remember watching Dave "Fit" Finlay wrestle on a UK TV show called World Of Sport nearly every Saturday back in the late 70s, so it was a major shock for me to see him years later in WCW.

[@lastdayonearthmysteryman4849]

You know for me I didn't know much about Finley until 2006. So when I found out he was in WCW I was like what. Plus I would never fight Finley even now whenever he appears I'm like oh my god it Finlay yes.

[@TheCrimsonCretin]

I always pop for fit finlay!

[@ZOOTSUITBEATNICK1]

f ck yeah!

[@DKCG0113]

Mark Henry looked good with the big gold belt

[@bett431]

The Summerslam Brock one was great, the following matches werent great, but then in 2019 the Roman, Drew and Shane tag match happened and Taker suddenly moved like he aged 10 years backwards.

[@pushon10]

I like Undertaker's matches in the late 90s.

[@treking376]

Yeah he was already having great matches by 1996. I get the inclusion but he didn’t only start having great matches in his 40s

[@koxame]

Well you got right taker was never the same after that Cell match but he had another good match before hanging the boots, the extreme rules tag match with Reigns vs Drew and Shane

[@Spermwhales93]

Sting has legitimately done some of his best work of his entire career during his AEW run.

[@Daladarun]

What about Terry Funk? NWA Days to Hardcore?

[@SsnakeBite]

I'm honestly kinda surprised David Arquette isn't on the list. My man deserves recogntion, goddammit!

[@jsmith3946]

hell no don't know what he sucks more at wrestling or acting

[@miguelnewmexico8641]

@@jsmith3946 you have no idea what he's done to make up for that debacle in 2000. you put respect on his name now.

[@jsmith3946]

@@miguelnewmexico8641 na he is trash

[@NA-hc2mb]

Hoping natalya can have one. She can really go in the ring but has always been regulated as a solid upper mid carder. Give her a 1 hour match w sasha she’ll put on a classic

[@MonoCronic]

It's gonna hurt so much to witness a retirement match of such a Legend like Sting

[@DarthDread-oh2ne]

Jeff Jarrett made his own company so he can be world champion.

[@namikstudios]

Jarrett was a multi-time WCW World Champion before TNA even existed.

[@DarthDread-oh2ne]

@@namikstudios Yeah, during A down period for WCW.

[@namikstudios]

@@DarthDread-oh2ne sure but even in 2000 getting the WCW World Title was a bigger achievement than the TNA Title has ever been.

[@DarthDread-oh2ne]

@@namikstudios By that point, the WCW title lost any credibility.

[@namikstudios]

​@@DarthDread-oh2ne thats just the WWE narrative though not reality

[@frontstreetdon6398]

2:15 A WILD SLAPNUTS APPEARS 😂

[@coffee55543]

I strongly disagree with the Undertaker case. The man was already an established wrestler and a household name by 1995. Also his matches with Mankind, HBK, Kane etc from the 90's era were legendary.

[@DarthNalgon]

No Christian cage on the list is crazy

[@trelard]

Mae Young had a hell of a sense of humour. Awesome lady.

[@Glyvenator]

Sting's aging more gracefully than any wrestler you'll ever see. And he's working smartly in the ring, and he's calling it quits on a high before hiding how old he actually is becomes impossible. They say no wrestler is more universally respected than The Undertaker, but I think that same thing can be said of Sting, which I guess is one of the biggest reasons people begged for that match for so many years.

[@herecomesdatrain]

You can thank vkm for the hall of pain

[@laronnpowell1700]

As we do..

[@lesyoung9151]

Love seeing Mae Young on the list

[@ScruffMcBuff]

"If I charge for air, you keep your bill paid" - Mark Henry

[@dennythesavage]

I never knew or actually technically just completely forgot who Finlay was, when he debuted. I don’t know why my brain never connected that he was Dave Finlay from WCW, probably because he didn’t have the mullet, or one sleeveless leather jacket. But when he showed up, I was honestly like who the hell is this old guy being pushed to the moon, then it finally clicked in my head a year later and I was like, “wait a minute, that’s Dave Finlay. That’s awesome!” 😂😂😂

[@OfficialSKLTN]

Gotta disagree with Goldberg, while he might've had the shock factor in beating Lesnar quick (wasn't all that great to begin with) everything else he did was lackluster at best. Really shouldn't count as a "renaissance"

[@ddjsoyenby]

it's crazy some of these were able to go so late in life.

[@tafua_a]

Sting is pretty much the Terry Funk of this generation. Did you know that Terry Funk started doing moonsaults when he was pushing 50?

[@jerranspearman3369]

good video

[@aaronhurst4379]

I'm surprised there was no mention in Sheamus's entry of The Bar with Cesaro, which started following a blinding feud in my view

[@claymathewselevator8121]

That Leatherface Belt at least looked cool

[@jamesgarland8322]

I feel like the McConaughey comparison is slightly off. He was on top pretty much his whole career .

[@TrialzGTAS]

Finlay was awesome, hope he is doing well

[@marvelsProtege]

5:12 he had to beat Bobby and he didn't look weak they both looked great

[@musc1esman]

R-Truth, Finlay, Terry Funk, Billy Gunn, Christian❤

[@liamooks]

0:40 Adam reacting to his punishment 4 months before it happens

[@OTC26]

Fit Finley is the only person who made Hornswoggle popular because without Finley there would be no reason to have given Hornswoggle a big push

[@botaniccal]

Shawn Michaels, Christian Cage, and Edge seem like...strange omissions

[@jamalvargas6146]

I Had a Late Career Comeback Myself A decade ago after the 2000's chewed me up and spit me out regardless of my success all thanks to projects like Warriors Of Virtue Starchaser The Legend Of Orin and Breakin'

[@KokNoker]

You missed a step where Dustin was a flying Uncle Fester lookin' kid diddler in WcW for all of the 2 minutes it too him to float down to the ring.

[@reggiefurlow1]

Fit Finley intro was cool

[@boma6893]

Terry Funk not being on this list is crazy

[@Gazowen-qz5xy]

My dad once met Finley after a show in my local leisure centre nice guy

[@thecryptkeeper5]

Jeff's AEW run has been great

[@twaxxed]

Billy Gunn, Terry Funk, RIC FLAIR, pat Patterson, jerry brisco

[@Killzilla223]

Of course they wouldn’t mention JJ’s appearances in GCW and the fact he single handedly carried Flair’s last match.

[@lilpoetat]

Thanks 🎉

[@josephsgenovese1854]

Mr. Bob Backlund. That is all.

[@zeromega4541]

Anybody else thought when WWE gage Findlay a leprechaun that killed his character. Because I remember people were pushing for him to get a title run then all of a sudden he starts pulling a little dude from under the ring.

[@allknowerofwwetna1]

THE ECW TITLE ABSOLUTELY COUNTS

[@cousinchris802]

I can't believe I'm saying this because I'm really not a fan of the guy but how is Shawn Michaels not on this list? Seems like an obvious one.

[@marvelsProtege]

Gangs of New Sheamus was and still is the best of him

[@McMaizer]

The fact that you didn't put in Christian is almost a crime

[@gerardorodriguez7858]

Christian should get an honorable mention. He's the best part of AEW right now

[@MarashcinoLarry]

J-E-Double F J-A-Double R-e-Double T! Love me some Jeff Jarrett.

[@CarolinaWrestlingShow]

Goldberg, Sting and Jeff Jarrett 👍

[@Dr_1212]

Age is nothing but a number👍

[@Deltrottersvan]

Age is nothing but a number 👍🏿 Unless it's someone in WWE but shhhhhhhh don't say that

[@miguelnewmexico8641]

true, but when that number gets high enough...

[@Dr_1212]

@@miguelnewmexico8641 Also sad but true but you only live once have fun do your thing before you die as long as it's not hurting or harassing any1 its cool

[@micah.1009]

Finely deserved his title run he was a good wrestler

[@MichaelTaylor-qp2xf]

This list should've included Terry Funk in 90's ECW.

[@ngwanesa007]

I'm south African 33year old some dreams are fantasies If it doesn't come come at a certain time maybe its good to pack your bags and forget about it Divine justice is a spec of fantasy 😢

[@loganraposo91]

Christian definitely deserved a spot on this list

[@pkmkid84]

At 5:50-5:54, how are you going to miss Mark Henry's Sexual Chocolate gimmick?

[@SpartanSprinkles]

I mean, Ric Flair's entire career was a renaissance. But he could be given a shout

[@paradoxr.n.o8688]

So we gonna act like Sheamus wasn't great in he's tag with Ceasro