AEW Star Samoa Joe Hints At Retirement Date

After nearly three decades in professional wrestling, AEW star Samoa Joe is hinting that retirement is right around the corner.
Samoa Joe and The Opps
Samoa Joe and The Opps / Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

Samoa Joe may be nearing the end of his pro wrestling career.

The 46-year-old is still going strong after spending much of the past three decades in the ring. He remains one of the most physically imposing stars in the game today, but he's not interested in wearing out his welcome.

The former AEW World Champion was a guest Thursday on Insight with Chris Van Vliet and was asked about whether he puts much thought into the day he ultimately decides to leave his boots in the ring.

“Yeah, I do a lot. It’s probably coming sooner than later, which is fine. I think a lot of people from my generation... if that they have the ability, we’ve done our best to kind of save up and we definitely don’t want to out stay our welcome. Because we may have been privy to a few people who may have done that in their careers. So, I definitely don’t want to be that guy.”

CVV pressed whether he has a specific day in mind for his retirement, and Joe alluded to it coming at the end of his current deal.

Samoa Joe signed with All Elite Wrestling in April of 2022, but it's not known when his contract runs out. He did acknowledge that a new opportunity in wrestling could present itself down the line.

"I think [I'll be] exploring those options as they go. I hate just saying retirement, because how many pro wrestling retirements never stick? All of them. So yeah, I will do this for a little longer and then yeah I think the end is probably sooner than any new deal being signed.”

Joe is currently aligned next to HOOK and Katsuyori Shibata in a trio called The Opps. They've let it be known that they will be at AEW Dynasty this Sunday night to scout out the landscape of All Elite Wrestling and their future competition.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino has been covering professional wrestling since 2019, but his broadcast career has spanned over 15 years. He can be heard every weekday morning on 700WLW radio in Cincinnati, OH. You can also read his work over on SI's Cincinnati Reds Talk. Follow Rick on X and Instagram: @RickUcchino