In an emotional video posted to his Facebook account over the weekend, by way of Ringside News , CW Anderson — whose real name is Chris Wright — has announced his retirement from professional wrestling. According to the former WWE superstar and ECW original, his reason for hanging up his boots after a 20+ year career is a lack of love for the business these days.
“Twenty-seven years ago, I went from being Chris Wright, a highly prospected baseball player, to ‘no one knows who I am’ CW Anderson. I took the name Anderson, honored it, did the best I could with it. 27 years later, I’ve finally come to the decision that, as far as CW Anderson and professional wrestling is concerned, he’s done.”
Anderson went on to say that he’s lost his “passion” for wrestling, and he always promised himself that he’d call it quits as soon as he felt that way.
Anderson competed in WWE between 2004 and 2007 as part of the now-defunct ECW revival. He mainly competed in dark matches throughout his tenure, but he did make an appearance on an episode of ECW in 2006, in a losing effort to CM Punk. He also appeared on television during the company’s ECW One Night Stand pay-per-views in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
However, the former superstar is perhaps best known for his time in the original ECW. He made his debut in the company in 1999 and remained a member of the roster until 2001, when the brand was acquired by WWE . His final appearance for ECW was an “I Quit” match against Tommy Dreamer.
Anderson stood out in ECW as he was presented as a technical wrestler. While he competed in his fair share of wrestling matches, his old-school gimmick stood out in a promotion that predominantly focused on hardcore wrestling. Anderson’s matches, however, tended to be more technical and traditional. Despite playing a heel character, his ability was respected by the company’s fans.
As documented by PW Podcasts , he was also a member of the acclaimed Anderson family — which also includes Ole Anderson and Arn Anderson of Four Horsemen stable fame — due to his resemblance to the members and respect for the business. In 1996, he teamed with Pat Anderson and won the NWA World Tag Team Championship.
The 49-year-old was also a member of the World Championship Wrestling roster back in 1998, having been a member of the company’s Power Plant training school. However, he never became a fixture on the company’s television shows and was released from his contract within a few months.
