Former WWE star Michael Tarver is officially stepping away from professional wrestling, with Extreme Fight World confirming that his final match will take place on Saturday, May 23 against Kno.

Tarver’s in-ring appearances have been extremely limited in recent years following a stroke he suffered in 2025. While he sporadically remained connected to the wrestling scene, he has not worked consistently since 2021 and had already scaled back his activity significantly after 2019 as he focused on his health and recovery.

Many fans remember Tarver for his role in the original Nexus faction in WWE. The group made a shocking debut on Raw in June 2010 after the first season of NXT, destroying ringside equipment and assaulting top stars including John Cena and CM Punk in one of the most memorable invasions of the modern WWE era. Tarver stood alongside Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Skip Sheffield, and Daniel Bryan as part of the rookie group that quickly became a major storyline centerpiece. His run with WWE ended in June 2011 when he was released from the company.

After leaving WWE, Tarver continued wrestling on the independent circuit and became heavily involved with various National Wrestling Alliance affiliated promotions. He competed for groups including NWA Florida Underground Wrestling and Championship Wrestling Entertainment, where he found championship success. During that stretch, he captured the NWA FUW Heavyweight Championship twice and also became a two time CWE Heavyweight Champion while continuing to work shows throughout the southeastern United States.

Outside the ring, Tarver has shifted his focus toward music in recent years. He is currently promoting a new track titled STOMP, which is scheduled to premiere on May 29 as he begins the next chapter of his career away from wrestling.