At AEW’s Double Or Nothing pay-per-view, Lio Rush was the surprise entrant in the Casino Battle Royale match and following the show, AEW President Tony Khan stated that he and Rush worked out a handshake deal for Lio going forward. Rush is under contract to New Japan Pro-Wrestling but today, he announced his retirement from wrestling.
Rush suffered a tear in his shoulder during the Casino Battle Royale and he emptied his thoughts about the injury and his future via a post on Instagram. Rush noted that AEW still wanted to sign him despite the injury. Due to contractual obligations, once he’s healed up, he’ll be finishing up dates and appearances for New Japan but Rush has decided to wrap up his in-ring career.
I have written and erased this post so many times purely out of not being able to wrap my head around this. The moment I went home in a sling, I kept saying to myself “this was like any other time I got a little bruise or strain and I will shrug it off and continue on my new journey.” Once the pain subsided and I started to feel just how uncomfortable it was to feel my arm hanging from my body, I sunk into an immediate and rapidly growing depression because I knew something was wrong.
Got the news that I’d be taking some time off due to this injury. Me thinking it would only affect my wrestling obligations, I still tried to go on about my days as I knew them. I realized just how much this would affect my everyday life. For anyone who knows me, you know that I work endlessly for me and my family. It became more and more frustrating everyday finding little things that I could no longer do. Like simply putting on a shirt and a much harder fact to deal with, not being able to pick up my newborn son.
Now here comes the part that kept me up every night since #DoubleOrNothing… knowing that I just made my surprise debut in one of the most exciting times in my career. That park sucked. But I’m grateful. Grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had this past year after my WWE release. So cool of AEW still wanting to sign me despite separating my AC in the Casino Battle Royale. Which would have led to me being the first person in history to be signed to two major organizations simultaneously. This is an unexpected turn down a road I would have and could have never saw coming.
But I’m looking at this as a blessing disguise. Since the injury, it’s given me some time to think. Think about what I want in life. What I want for my wife and my kids, and what’s going to make me happy as far as my mental health is concerned. The timing of this injury has forced me to stop and reevaluate and ultimately it’s in making the decision to retire from professional wrestling…
Thank you to the fans who have fought it out with me for the past seven years and the people in my corner. Thank you to all the promoters and friends that I’ve met along the way who believe in me and my vision. This has been a great ride, but it’s time to get off and do what truly makes me happy. Due to contractual obligations with NJPW, I will be making final appearances once I’m healed. But for now, thank you all from the bottom of my heart and I’ll see you all soon.
I’m retiring from Pro Wrestling 🙏🏽. It’s been a crazy ride, but it’s time to get off and do what truly makes me happy. Thank you @AEW @AEWonTNT @njpwglobal for everything. Full story – https://t.co/SkpCOhT7Bt pic.twitter.com/17jvjMeXSI
— Lio Rush (@TheLionelGreen) June 9, 2021
Rush made his return to wrestling in the Summer of 2020 for Game Changer Wrestling. He contemplated stepping away from the business after being released from WWE last year.
He went to become a member of New Japan, several independent promotions and captured MLW’s World Middleweight Championship since his WWE release. Rush is 26 years of age.
