When breaking into the pro wrestling business, there are always two unknowns – how long someone’s career will last and how successful they will become. Some wrestlers will perform for years in top promotions such as WWE, while others will have short stints without making it to a major promotion.
For the last 20 years, Gunner, AKA Jaxson Ryker, has been a pro wrestler where he has had the chance to work for TNA Wrestling and WWE. Now, he plans to wrap up his in-ring career.
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.
While appearing on Wrestling for the Faith, 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..”
Ryker stated that wrestling is no longer his identity as he is grounded in Christian ministry. He also cited dealing with nagging neck injuries since 2015.
H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription
