Ex-WWE Star Sadly Announces Retirement At 53

This former WWE star had to unfortunately announce his retirement amid health concerns

Retirement can be a trying time for a wrestler as they lay it all out in the ring for years with their passion and commitment to the craft, which makes saying goodbye difficult.

One former wrestler’s career recently came to a sudden halt after he suffered a stroke in his eye and was advised by doctors not to wrestle anymore. His name is Tony DeVito, and he was part of the WWE in the 90s when he faced the likes of The Rock (fka Rocky Maiviya) and The Undertaker.

DeVito made a name for himself in Ring Of Honor (ROH) by winning the ROH Tag Team Championship and was known to train NXT stars like Bobby Fish.

Former WWE Star Tony Devito Is Forced To Hang Up His Boots

During a recent ALW show in Cocoa, Florida, DeVito announced his retirement from wrestling. The former WWE wrestler shared his heartbreaking story of already not being able to see from one eye since birth, and now, with his other eye being diagnosed with a stroke, wrestling is effectively ruled out for him.

I woke up that morning, and I could not see out of my left eye. Now I was born, and I can’t see out of my right eye already. I was born that way. That day, I went to a doctor. I got diagnosed with a stroke in my eye. So basically, that means I had a blood clot, and the blood leaked out. I have blood behind my retina.

Doctors told me that wrestling is done.

DeVito talked about how he had been in the wrestling business for quite some time with names like WWE (then WWF), ECW, and ROH. He added that although he was done competing, he would love to be involved in some capacity with professional wrestling in future.

I’ve been in the business longer than most of the guys in the locker room are old. I’ve wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation. I’ve wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling. I’m a former Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champion. I’ve done a lot of good stuff in this business. This ain’t really a goodbye. This is I’ll see you later, because I’m not done with this business. I may not be able to come in here and compete and do what I love to do, but some way, somehow, I will be here

DeVito had also made an appearance in the WWE in 2006 in an episode of ECW, where he wrestled under the moniker Macho Libre.

Also read: AJ Styles Allegedly Isn’t Really Retiring From WWE