Titus O’Neil’s in-ring career seems to have officially concluded. WWE has updated its website by removing O’Neil from the active roster and relocating his profile to the WWE Alumni section. While WWE has not formally announced his retirement from wrestling, O’Neil himself has yet to publicly address the change.
O’Neil’s last match took place on November 9, 2020, when he unsuccessfully challenged Bobby Lashley for the United States Championship on Raw. This match occurred shortly after O’Neil attempted to join MVP’s Hurt Business faction but was turned away and attacked. Earlier that year, he participated in the Last Chance Gauntlet match on Raw for a spot in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match, where Lashley eliminated him.
Since then, O’Neil has transitioned into a role as WWE’s Global Ambassador, focusing on community outreach and charitable initiatives. In this capacity, he has occasionally appeared on screen, notably co-hosting WrestleMania 37 alongside Hulk Hogan in 2021.
Born Thaddeus Bullard, O’Neil played college football at the University of Florida and competed in the Arena Football League before signing with WWE in 2009. He began his wrestling journey in Florida Championship Wrestling, winning the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship with Damien Sandow before losing the titles to Seth Rollins and Richie Steamboat in 2011.
O’Neil competed on the second season of NXT in 2010, where Zack Ryder mentored him, but he was the first contestant eliminated. He returned the following year for NXT Redemption with Hornswoggle as his mentor and won the season’s opening main event against Lucky Cannon.
In 2012, O’Neil debuted on WWE’s main roster alongside Darren Young as The Prime Time Players, marking their first victory over The Usos on SmackDown. They went on a winning streak until losing to the tag champions, Kofi Kingston and R-Truth, the following month. The duo captured the WWE Tag Team Championship from The New Day at Money in the Bank 2015 but lost the titles back to The New Day at SummerSlam that August.
After taking part in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 35, where he eliminated Heath Slater before Mustafa Ali eliminated him, O’Neil made history as the inaugural 24/7 Champion on Raw’s May 20, 2019 episode—though his reign lasted less than a minute before being pinned by Bobby Roode. He also led the Titus Worldwide faction with Apollo Crews, Dana Brooke, and Akira Tozawa and is well-remembered for his comedic fall under the ring during the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia, a moment fans dubbed the “Titus Worldslide.”
The latter half of O’Neil’s WWE tenure has been defined more by his off-ring contributions. He received the Warrior Award as part of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020, honoring his charitable work through the Bullard Family Foundation, which supports children and families in need. Additionally, he’s been inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Hall of Fame, recognized as a Community Hero by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2017, and supports organizations like the Special Olympics and Pop Warner Football. O’Neil also authored a book in 2019 titled There’s No Such Thing as a Bad Kid: How I Went from Stereotype to Prototype.
Fan Take: Titus O’Neil’s transition away from in-ring competition marks the end of an era for fans who admired his blend of power, charisma, and heart. His continued role as a community ambassador ensures his positive impact on the sport and society will endure, highlighting the evolving ways athletes can influence wrestling beyond the ring.
Source: wrestlingnews.co
