For more than two decades, Kane was one of the most recognizable, and terrifying, characters in WWE history.
I can personally attest to the terrifying part.
After Kane unmasked in 2003, he scared the crap out of me. For close to six months, I struggled to fall asleep because I had developed the completely irrational fear that unmasked Kane would suddenly appear in the double window directly in front of my bed.
Setting Jim Ross on fire really did it for me.
Fortunately, I eventually recovered. Kane stopped setting people on fire, and Glenn Jacobs, the man behind the character, went on to have one of the more fascinating second acts of any WWE Superstar.
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Kane Spent Eight Years as Mayor of Knox County
Jacobs was elected mayor of Knox County in 2018 and reelected in 2022. Term limits prevented him from seeking a third consecutive term, and his time in office ended on Sept. 1, 2026.
This wasn’t a ceremonial position occupied by a famous former wrestler.
Jacobs oversaw a county government with thousands of employees and an annual budget that eventually surpassed $1 billion. He made keeping property taxes flat one of his priorities and proposed eight budgets without a property-tax increase.
His administration was also involved in workforce development through the START Center, the creation of a specialized mental-health court and Operation Hero’s Hill, which provides tiny homes for homeless veterans with Knox County students helping construct them.
Jacobs’ libertarian political philosophy was also visible throughout his tenure. He became an outspoken opponent of government COVID-19 restrictions and later opposed the county’s use of automated license-plate readers over privacy concerns, signing an ordinance banning county agencies from using fixed cameras on his final day in office.
“Mayor Kane” stayed pretty busy.
When Was Kane’s Last WWE Match?
Kane has not wrestled since entering the 2021 Men’s Royal Rumble.
He eliminated Dolph Ziggler and Ricochet before Damian Priest eliminated him, making the appearance his most recent official WWE match.
While plenty of wrestlers eventually return for one more match, Jacobs doesn’t sound particularly eager to add himself to that list.
Asked in 2025 about having an official retirement match, Jacobs laughed and pointed to the athleticism and speed of today’s WWE roster, acknowledging that keeping up with the current generation may have passed him by.
That’s fair enough. The man debuted as Kane in 1997. I think he’s earned the right not to take a Canadian Destroyer at 59.
Is Kane in the WWE Hall of Fame?
Kane was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021, with The Undertaker delivering the news to his longtime storyline brother.
His résumé made the selection an easy one. Kane held the WWE, World Heavyweight and ECW championships, won Money in the Bank and became one of WWE’s most enduring characters across multiple generations.
Even while serving as mayor, Jacobs never completely disappeared from WWE. He continued making occasional appearances, including showing up when Raw visited Knoxville in 2022.
What Is Kane Doing Now?
Jacobs’ second term as Knox County mayor ended on Sept. 1, and he has not announced another elected position or full-time job. He hasn’t necessarily closed the door on politics, either, saying near the end of his term that another run for office would depend on factors including his family and whether he believed he was the right person for the job.
His in-ring career appears to be behind him, but with eight years as mayor now over, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jacobs have a little more time for occasional WWE appearances.
I won’t be as scared this time as I was in 2003.
