Lance Storm is a legend of the wrestling ring, but one who does not get the credit he deserves.
The Canadian was a big star in WCW, after travelling the world and wrestling in countless countries across the globe.
He also went on to sign for the WWE as part of the Invasion angle, although it was a disappointing and ill-fated storyline for the WWE.
Lance Storm left the WWE in 2005, after having one last match in front of a huge, loud crowd, and wrestled occasionally on the independent scene before retiring for good.
But what happened to Lance Storm after leaving the WWE? In this article we’ll talk you through what happened to him after he left the WWE, his final matches in wrestling and his pact made with Chris Jericho.
What Happened To Lance Storm?
Lance Storm left the WWE in 2005, following one final match at ECW One Night Stand.
He had intended to retire (for a variety of reasons), and was effectively retired from wrestling at just 36 years of age.
He would make a few appearances in Ring of Honor in 2005, before wrestling his first match in nearly a year at ROH: Better Than Our Best in April 2006.
He faced off with ROH Champion Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan in the WWE), losing to the champion in a fantastic 26 minute match.
Lance Storm wrestled in a number of matches in various indie companies in the years since, but never for a major company like WWE, TNA or NJPW.
His last ever match took place at WrestleCon 2016, facing off with a fellow WWE legend in Matt Hardy.
The pair wrestled for the OMEGA Heavyweight Championship at the event, with Hardy fully in the midst of his “Broken Matt Hardy” character.
Lance Storm lost his last match, failing to win the title 11 years after leaving the WWE.
But if he was continuing to wrestle, why would Lance Storm leave the WWE in what could be considered his “prime”.
Why Did Lance Storm Leave WWE?
Lance Storm left WWE in 2005 after his contract expired and he decided not to renew it. He had been with WWE for several years, working both as a wrestler and as a trainer at their developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling.
In interviews, Storm has cited a number of reasons for his departure from WWE. One of the main factors was his desire to spend more time with his family, as he found the constant travel and time away from home difficult.
Additionally, Storm has talked about feeling frustrated with the creative direction of his character and his storylines in WWE. He has said that he felt his talent was underutilized and that he wasn’t given enough opportunities to showcase his skills.
Storm was known as one of the best technical wrestlers in the company, but was decried for his lack of perceived charisma and microphone skills.
While he could have overcome those slights in other companies, in the WWE they were key to being a top star, so his ceiling was very low, and apparent to all.
Finally, Storm has also mentioned that he was unhappy with some of the backstage politics and power struggles within WWE, which he found to be draining and unpleasant.
Ultimately, all of these factors contributed to his decision to leave the company and pursue other opportunities in wrestling.
Last WWE Match
Lance Storm’s last WWE match came at the first ECW One Night Stand event.
Storm had effectively already retired at this point, slowing down in the ring and not having wrestled for over a month, despite only being 36 years old.
He took on Chris Jericho in his final WWE match, harkening back to their time together in ECW, as well as starting their career together in Canada.
The match was won by Chris Jericho, and opened the show. It had one of the hottest crowds in wrestling history, who were wowed to see two legends go at it one last time.
The match was rated 3.5 stars by Dave Meltzer, and was the last time Lance Storm would wrestle in the WWE. It was also the last time Chris Jericho wrestled Lance storm.
Lance Storm vs Chris Jericho
Whilst it was the last time Chris Jericho vs Lance Storm stepped into the ring together, it likely wont be the final time we’ll see the pair wrestle one another.
The pair trained together as young men in Canada, and were the two star pupils in the Hart Dungeon. They travelled the world together, making it to ECW, WCW and WWE together.
They wrestled their first ever matches against one another at Moose Hall in Ponoka, Alberta, on October 2nd, 1990. The match ended in a 10 minute draw.
After that match, the pair made a pact – both of their final matches would be against one another.
Lance Storm revealed in an interview with D-Von Dudley on the Table Talk podcast that Lance Storm vs Chris Jericho will be their final match – as long as Jericho doesn’t wait until they’re both too old to retire!
“We made that pact ages ago. I always thought it would be cool to bookend my first and last match against the same guy. He’s like, ‘Let’s just do it then.’ ‘Okay, but you’ve got to retire before we’re too old Chris.’”
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