Former WWE Star Planning To Retire From Wrestling – Gunner, FKA Jaxson Ryker, shared on episode #104 of Wrestling for the Faith that he is planning to wrap up his in-ring career this year.
After a successful run in TNA, he joined WWE in 2017, where he worked in NXT before being paired with Westin Blake and Steve Maclin as a part of The Forgotten Sons, where they were called up to the main roster in 2020.
However, they were pulled from WWE television after Ryker sent out a tweet in support of Donald Trump as the protests about George Floyd’s death. He also got a lot of backstage heat for his comments about the Black Lives Matter movement. He later clarified his belief about the movement. In October 2021, WWE released Ryker, among other WWE stars.
During the interview, Ryker revealed that his last match would happen on August 27th in his home state of North Carolina.
Ryker admitted that he has gone back and forth on whether he wanted to continue to wrestle but now feels it’s time to stop away.
“Not necessarily doesn’t mean I won’t do guest ref spots or sign some autographs or use it as a ministry. But the in-ring action is just — I think it’s time to step away just because of injuries. It’s time to pursue a different career.”
Ryker has four shows booked, with two of them happening in June.
“I do think it’s time to walk away. There’s moments where I enjoy it if I’m working around with you, doing some stuff with you or some certain other guys. But it’s just gotten to a point to where I think I’m ready to press on into a new career and being 40, almost 41, I’ve been blessed. I’ve had an amazing, amazing career. What else do I have left to prove? Go work some indie shows and get hurt? I just can’t do it. But it is. I got four shows booked, ready to roll. I’ve had a couple guys reach out to me this week going, ‘Hey! You open this day? This day?’ And I said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Man, I’m not taking any more bookings’ and I knew right then and there, I was like, wow, I’m serious about this..”
He went on to add that wrestling is not his identity anymore and mentioned that he’s had nagging neck injuries since 2015.
“That’s it and I’ve mentioned to you (podcast co-host), I’ve had some nagging neck injuries since 2015 and I just always said, if I got to the point where I didn’t enjoy it anymore as much as I used to, the love that I loved as a kid or I had some injuries, that it’d be time to walk away and the fact is Casey that it’s not my identity anymore, you know? I’m at a prime age where I can go into a new career and build that career if that’s the door the Lord’s gonna be opening up. We’ve talked about, you know, me in law enforcement and stuff like that. It’s not my identity anymore. My identity is completely different now. It’s grounded and rooted in Christ and ministry and some other things and watching my six-year-old grow up and not hurting, you know what I mean? Not having a neck injury on an independent show where I have to have surgery and lose feeling in my arm again. So it’s time, it’s time man.”
Former WWE Star Planning To Retire From Wrestling
