During a candid conversation on The Velvet Ropes, Dylan Postl (Hornswoggle) discussed the physical toll of his career, his unexpected resurgence in the ring, and the difficult reality many wrestlers face when they can no longer perform. Postl, who is 39, joked about his “wrestling age” relative to his stature.
“I’m 39. In your people years, that means I’m 57, so I don’t know,” Postl said. “I said I was gonna be done at 35 and that’s not what happened. Who knows? And so, we never know.”
Despite his original plan to retire earlier, Postl revealed he is currently enjoying a period of renewed energy after making lifestyle changes.
“I kicked my own butt into gear and cared about my body more, and physical health and well being. And now, man, I’m back in ring stuff and enjoying that. I said to Ethan Page, ‘Man, it’s almost like a weird resurgence.’ I feel body-wise and like it’s just good. I’m having fun again.”
However, he was adamant that he would not continue if his performance slipped too far, setting a strict rule for himself and his friends.
“The minute I am a shell, more than I was a few years ago—and I got myself out of the possibility of becoming a shell—then I want to be done. I’ve told everyone, the minute I become that, take all of my gear and my green pants and burn them or hide them so Landon [his son] can sell them later.”
Postl also touched on the darker side of the industry: veterans who stay too long because they have no other options and cannot transition to a normal life.
“I mean, we’ve been doing it for 20, 30 years. They’ve been doing it for 50, 60 years. And I think about that, and I go, man, all I know is pro wrestling and working at Target. That’s all I know. So now let’s add 20 more years onto my career, and that’s really all I know then.”
He explained the fear that drives wrestlers to keep going even when their bodies are failing.
“I truly feel that the longer we do this, the harder it is to go back to [being a] normal person. And that’s, again, a blessing and a curse. But it’s just one of those things where I think that’s why we do see it [wrestlers staying too long], and it’s unfortunate. But also I look and I go, there’s no answer to it, because they aren’t gonna go work at Walgreens. Man, it’s just, let’s be honest.”
This fear of a “normal” life is something Postl grapples with himself.
“Man, nine to five scares me. And I think that’s what it is for 90% of people in our career. Nine to five scares them. Thinking about a janitor, thinking about helping at a school, thinking about any office job? Yeah, that scares them, and I don’t blame them, because it scares me.”
He cited a specific film that perfectly captures this anxiety for him.
“Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler is the greatest epitome of our business that’s ever been told. I don’t care what you say. It is the top to bottom, best explanation and best showcase of everything we do, being at the top and then working at a deli and being recognized at the deli. I watch that movie still at least once a year, and I go, ‘Man, this is insane, how close to home it hits at times.'”
This interview is exclusive to WrestlingNews.co. If you use these quotes, please include a link back to this page.
