AEW Head of Talent Relations Christopher Daniels recently opened up about his future in professional wrestling, stating he has no desire to return to in-ring competition.
The 56-year-old executive cited physical decline and concerns about his performance quality as the primary reasons for stepping away from active competition.
During a virtual signing with K & S WrestleFest, Daniels addressed questions regarding a potential return to the ring with candid honesty. He acknowledged the toll his decades-long career has taken on his body.
“I mean, I wish I could, but I have to be honest about physically how my body’s beat up, and I watched some of the last matches of my career,” Daniels said. “I did a lot of stuff in DEFY in Seattle, Washington, and I watched a lot of those matches and while the mental part of those matches is really, really good at least — I’m very proud of it — I have to be honest and say I wasn’t really in the best of shape, and I could tell that I was slowing down.”
“The way it ended for me is probably best that it ended, and yeah, I don’t really have a desire to get back into it just because I don’t wanna embarrass myself,” he added.
Daniels’ Legendary Career
Daniels has wrestled professionally since the early 1990s, accumulating approximately 1,917 documented matches. His career includes championship reigns in ROH, TNA, and numerous independent promotions, making him one of the most decorated veterans in the industry.
He currently serves in AEW’s talent relations department. While Daniels has taken occasional matches since transitioning to his backstage position, he has significantly reduced his in-ring schedule in recent years.
Daniels’ last high-profile televised match in AEW was against Adam Page.