Former World Wrestling Entertainment star Michael Tarver is officially preparing to close the chapter on his in-ring career.
Extreme Fight World has announced that Tarver will compete in his final professional wrestling match on Saturday, May 23, where he is scheduled to face Kno.
Tarver has largely stepped away from active wrestling competition in recent years, particularly following a stroke he suffered in 2025. While he has made occasional appearances, he has not wrestled regularly since 2021 and has been mostly inactive since 2019.
The former WWE talent is best remembered for his role as one of the original members of The Nexus, the groundbreaking faction that shocked WWE audiences with its invasion angle on WWE Raw in June 2010.
Tarver emerged from the first season of WWE NXT alongside fellow Nexus members Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Ryback (then known as Skip Sheffield), and Bryan Danielson. The group’s debut assault on WWE programming — including attacks on John Cena, CM Punk, and the ringside area — remains one of the most memorable faction debuts in modern wrestling history.
Tarver remained with WWE until his release in June 2011.
After departing WWE, Tarver continued wrestling across the independent scene and became a prominent figure within several National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated promotions. He competed for NWA Florida Underground Wrestling and Championship Wrestling Entertainment, capturing both the NWA FUW Heavyweight Championship and CWE Heavyweight Championship twice during his post-WWE career.
Over the years, Tarver continued appearing on independent events throughout the southeastern United States while also participating in select crossover and reunion appearances.
Outside the ring, Tarver has increasingly focused on music in recent years. He is currently promoting a new song titled STOMP, which is scheduled to premiere on May 29.
As Tarver prepares for his final match, many fans will undoubtedly remember him for being part of one of WWE’s most influential modern factions and for carving out a long independent wrestling career after leaving the company.
