The number of wrestlers coming out of retirement has seen a sharp increase in the last few years. With modern-day advances in medical treatment, the prospect of working a safer style as well as the inevitable pop from a live crowd, wrestlers are coming out of retirement in droves.
From “Stone Cold” Steve Austin returning for his first match in nineteen years, to Sting’s impressive run in AEW, to Saraya’s return post-neck surgery, it’s clear that “retirement” is never a finality.
Now, a former Cruiserweight Champion is joining the ranks of wrestlers who have made their return for (at least) one more match.
A Return To WWE Action
Jamie Noble, best known for his run as WWE Cruiserweight Champion during the Ruthless Aggression era, recently announced on his Instagram page that he will be returning to the ring for one more time.
It’s Official!! On December 11 at the Charleston Civic Center, Charleston, WV. I will compete for possibly my last time in wrestling under the greatest company of all time WWE. It’s been roughly 11 years since I was forced out of the ring. Now I’m going to have one more opportunity in front of my people my state my family! I promise you I will walk out a winner or I will go out on my shield giving the best performance I can give. all the support I can get will be so greatly appreciated to show that I can still go! Thank you all!! God bless you and God bless WV!!
Noble has previously said that he was forced into retirement after a match with Sheamus on the November 2nd 2009 edition of Monday Night Raw. During this match, Jamie Noble took a brutal powerbomb outside of the ring from Sheamus.
In an interview with WWE.com in 2009, Noble spoke about what injuries this move left him with.
When Sheamus powerbombed me on the floor, he compressed my neck and shoulders real bad. It always seems to be my neck. I’m laying here and I still have headaches, and the back of my skull is sore.
This was the end of Noble’s full-time in-ring career. However, he has stepped into the ring on a few occasions since, most notably as part of “J&J Security” with Joey Mercury. In 2015, J&J Security were Seth Rollins‘ hired bodyguards, who wrestled in five handicap matches from February to June. They lost every match but one: a pinfall victory over Seth Rollins on the June 8th 2015 edition of Monday Night Raw.
Jamie Noble’s opponent for his final WWE match is yet to be revealed, though with the match taking place in less than three weeks, an announcement is expected soon.