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After AJ Styles, Another WWE Veteran Retiring At 62

By Sridhar Krishnan • Published Feb 01, 2026 11:37 EST
WWE Logo Over Boots In The Ring - Source: WWE.com
WWE Logo Over Boots In The Ring - Source: WWE.com

A WWE veteran has been advertised to retire from wrestling in April.

The Sandman began his professional wrestling career in 1989. After representing Tri-State Wrestling for a couple of years, he joined Eastern Championship Wrestling, which was later rebranded as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in 1992.

It was in this promotion that he found the majority of his life’s success, becoming a 5-time World Heavyweight Champion.

He left the company in 1998 to join WCW before returning to ECW the following year. He would represent the promotion since its closure in 2001.

He participated in the ECW reunion show Hardcore Homecoming in 2005. He subsequently appeared on the WWE-produced ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view, teaming up with Tommy Dreamer to face The Dudley Boyz.

Sandman made several appearances on the company’s programming, even attacking John Cena at one point.

After the Stamford promotion relaunched ECW in 2006, Sandman began appearing on it regularly, competing against the likes of Matt Striker, Mike Knox, and Elijah Burke.

His appearances diminished the following year before he was released in September.

Sandman Announced For Retirement Match Around WWE WrestleMania

WWE WrestleMania 42 is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18 & 19.

Around the same time, Sandman will compete in his retirement match, as announced by Game Changer Wrestling.

The promotion took to X, informing wrestling fans that The Sandman will wrestle in his final match on April 17 at Joey Janela’s Spring Break X in Las Vegas.

On Saturday, at the Royal Rumble, the curtains fell over AJ Styles’ wrestling career after he lost to Gunther in a singles match.