Injured WWE Star Confirms Full-Time Wrestling Retirement
WWE wrestler admits "there's no way" they could ever compete full-time again.
Robert Roode's days as a full-time WWE wrestler are over.
The injured star confirmed as much on Chris Van Vliet's Insight podcast. Sidelined since June 2022, Roode, 47, stated that while he was recently cleared to wrestle again, "there's no way" he'll ever be able to return to a full-time schedule.
Said the former NXT Champion (h/t SEScoops):
"Ironically enough, I just got green-lighted. The fusion has completely fused. So as far as looking at it from a medical point of view, it's safe to get back in the ring I guess."
Roode has been working as a WWE Producer while out of action. He told Van Vliet that this was among his goals upon joining the market-leading wrestling promotion 2016. Roode, who feels like he is doing good work in this role, is happy to continue:
"But at almost 48 years old, given the opportunity I've been given now, to work as a producer, which was my goal coming to WWE almost eight years ago, I'm quite happy doing this. And I feel like I've had a good run as they say and I'm happy to be doing what I'm doing now."
A 25 June 2022 house show hosted Roode's last wrestling match, with the veteran losing to Omos. Roode then underwent neck fusion surgery later in the year, ruling him out indefinitely, and casting major doubts over his wrestling future. In 2023, he commenced backstage work as a producer.
On Insight, Roode stated that while he might return to the ring, the severity of his injuries means going full-time again wouldn't be possible. Similarly, it'd be challenging for him mentally - and aesthetically, he's concerned about looking completely different.
"You never know, yeah, sure. Could I do this full-time? There's no way I could. Look, to be honest, the injury, I have three levels that are bad. The level six and seven are not good either. I don't, mentally, think I could take the risk of going back in the ring and working a full-time schedule. Just knowing that. I feel like I look differently too. You know what I mean? I always kind of prided myself on how I looked on Television. I love being in the gym and working out and when you physically don't look the same, it's a mental thing as well for me."
Despite this, the former NXT, United States, and Tag Team Champion isn't averse to the idea of one last match:
"I think everybody would like to have one last match right? But sometimes, when the wheels fall off, the wheels fall off. That's the nature of the beast and this sport and this industry."