Having a multi-decade career spanning the NWA, WCW, WWE, TNA and spanning AEW since its inception, Dustin Rhodes recently announced that 2023 will be his final year as an in-ring competitor. Currently 53 years of age, but having had some of the best performances of his career since signing with AEW, Rhodes has explained his reasoning for his impending retirement.

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Dustin Rhodes Promised Himself Not To Wrestle Too Long

Earlier this month, Rhodes appeared on an independent show where he announced to those in attendance that he would retire at some point next year. Appearing on Busted Open Radio, Rhodes went into the decision and his reasoning for ending his career in 2023. "I remember seeing Ray Candy years ago when I broke into the business, and he wasn't in the best shape," Rhodes shared, "he was using a walker, and I was just getting into the business and I was green and excited and hungry and passionate, and I still am, but I made a promise to myself that I was going to get out while I can still walk".

As well as his own physical shape, Rhodes commented on what it would mean for his legacy, not wanting to tarnish the body of work he has put together over the years. "I don't want to slip up and fall. I have this in the back of my head every time I go out, 'what if I do something stupid?' Then they're going to start chanting 'please retire' and I don't want it to get to that." On how his body feeling, Rhodes noted that "it takes me a week and a half to two weeks to recover from one match. I'm starting to see those things."

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Will We See More Of Dustin Rhodes In AEW?

cody rhodes dustin rhodes double or nothing

Rhodes has been a staple of AEW since its beginning, with his match against his brother Cody at the first Double or Nothing still in contention for the company's best. Since then, Rhodes has floated around various feuds, from his time with the Nightmare Family to challenging for the ROH World Championship earlier this year. "The end of July, my contract is up and I'm going to be done in-ring," Rhodes added, meaning he has around another six months to go.

Though Rhodes might not be donning the face paint after July, he made no indication that he would finish up his backstage duties in AEW. Rhodes acts as a coach, helping develop the younger talent, working particularly with the women's division. "It'll be 35 years in the business, almost 36, and that's a good round number," Rhodes pondered. "There's nothing that I haven't done, good or bad that I regret, I've loved everything I've done. The bad things have come to me and taught me lessons. I've become a better man because of those. I want to get out while I can still walk and still teach the kids and coach" (h/t to Fightful for the quotes).

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