Former WWE Star Comments On In-Ring Future & Potential Retirement

WWE

A former WWE star has opened up about their current approach to wrestling and whether they’ll still be doing it in their sixties.

Gangrel may have parted ways with WWE back in 2001, returning for one-off appearances in the following years, but he’s remained a fixture on the independent wrestling scene, along with appearing in AEW as recently as 2024 at Double or Nothing.

Currently the coach at Rusev’s training school, Gangrel has shared his thoughts on his current body of work as an active wrestler.

Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, the former WWE star shared his love of wrestling at the age of 57, saying:

“Absolutely, 100%. I don’t know about the traveling as much, but I still love wrestling, so I tell people it’s a lot like a musician. You’ll hear them say, ‘I get paid to travel, not play music.’ I get paid to travel, not wrestle. I would wrestle for free anyway. I love wrestling. When I asked you, what’s your fee, I go, what are we talking about? I look at it, and my fee is addressed to where that travel is.

“I’ve wrestled in every state, been to a lot of countries and stuff like that, so I know exactly what’s involved in that travel, and that the travel is what adjusts my fee. It’s not necessarily the wrestling part of it. I still love wrestling; it’s the travel of it.”

For some, age would be a limiting factor in what they want to do, but Gangrel has an “all in or you’re all out” approach to his work, while still acknowledging what he avoids doing in the ring, stating:

“The hardest part about wrestling is getting your boots on. Once the boots are on, I’m fine. I can rewind this back.

“I do take only certain bumps now; I’ve eliminated certain top-rope things that are just not necessary for a 57-year-old man with a new knee and a new hip and stuff like that. I don’t want to push the envelope too much.

“Once I get in my gear and I’m rolling, I want to go. You’re either all in or you’re all out, 24/7. Can’t stop, won’t stop, hanging and banging. The hardest part about it is getting dressed. Once you’re dressed, you traveled, you went through that, you got there, then just getting dressed. You’re like, ah, then the boots are on, then it’s all gold. Then after that, you know it’s all good.”

Gangrel would be asked if he can see himself wrestling into his sixties, something that star considered before revealing:

“I didn’t say I want to wrestle in my 60s, I want to look like Billy Gunn in my 60s (laughs).

“I don’t know when I want to wrestle to. It’s a toss-up. I tell everybody, Turkey’s a big thing now with the hair, so it’s a toss-up.

“Before, I thought my body would give out on me, but the body seems to keep motoring, and I keep getting healthier, and I think that has a lot to do with my wife and a happy marriage, and a better lifestyle. But I can’t stop the hair from coming out.

“When you get these high definition lights, when you’re sweating and they shine down on you, they are unforgiving, and I’m very vain.”

Asked whether he would “go until the wheels fall off”, Gangrel would conclude by suggesting that’s a probability, even if he didn’t think it would be.

The Golden Years

Gangrel’s most recently outing has seen him compete at CCW Bash At The Brew in the Game of War Advantage eight-man tag team match, with the former WWE star teaming with Jackal Stevens and Monster Mosh (Ozzy Kilmeister & Skitz) in a victory over Vinicious (Daniel Lacey, Eddie Valentine & Marvin Cruz).

His Coastal Championship Wrestling relationship is one that started back in 2007 before being picked up again nine years later, with regular appearances and a Heavyweight Championship run to his name.

The former WWE star has been a constant across the independent wrestling scene, with 247 matches to date, according to Cagematch, in a career that has seen him compete internationally.

It’d be easy to envisage a time when Gangrel hangs up his boots, although he’s clearly got the passion and ability to keep going, even as his sixties approaches. With Billy Gunn at the age of 62 and continuing to compete in AEW, there’s just one star who has seen a reinvigorated career.

Continuing to perform may not be the direction that many older stars pursue, even if the desire is there. That said, as long as health is on the side of any given star, a future working in an appropriate way for their body and mind can be a success.

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