Former WWE star asks for "one last push" before potentially retiring
WWE stars have made a habit of jumping over to AEW ever since 2019, and while most notable names have found success in the Jacksonville-based promotion, Shawn Spears is yet to capture gold. The star recently hinted at retirement, but could this lead to him finally holding a championship in a major promotion?
Fans will most likely be familiar with Spears' work in WWE as Tye Dillinger, which unfortunately largely saw him being used as an enhancement talent. Outside of WWE, the star has extensively wrestled on the Independent Circuit, making him a veteran of the industry.
Before the airing of his AEW Rampage match last night, Shawn Spears took to Twitter to hint that his bout against The Blade will be the first in his final run.
"Tonight, it starts. Time to go and get what’s been earned. The people demand it. I need it. One last push," Spears tweeted.
🏻
Tonight, it starts. Time to go and get what’s been earned.
The people demand it.
I need it.
One last push 🙌🏻
#AEWRampage #AEW @tntdrama https://t.co/6ZHdG0sX97
Could Spears find some measure of success that he never had in WWE and even capture gold before hanging up his boots? Only time will tell.
Missed out on last week's AEW Collision? Catch up with the results before tonight's show right here.
The former WWE star claims he doesn't want an elaborate send-off when he retires
While there may be stars far older than Spears who are still actively competing, the recent birth of his son with former WWE star Cassie Lee (Peyton Royce) likely plays a major role in talks about him stepping away from the industry.
During an interview with ComicBook.com, Shawn Spears speculated that he'll go against tradition and quietly retire when the time comes.
"I don't think it'll be announced as a last match. I won't announce it as a last match. I'll just have the match. I'll know when I'm done, and then I will just be away, and that'll be it," Spears said. "I'll just ride into the sunset on my own. That would kind of be a perfect full circle moment, because in this industry, you're on your own a lot. It'll mean the world to me, but people won't know that it'll be the last match." [H/T comicbook]
Shawn Spears is giving out C4s and hugs in his win over The Blade!
WATCH #AEWRampage on TNT!
@ShawnSpears | #TheBlade https://t.co/D8fTlrwghD
It remains to be seen if Spears will retire this year or whether he'll simply step away and return at some stage in the future. Either way, it seems like his family is his priority at this stage, and retirement seems likely.