Samoa Joe speaks candidly about his plans to retire from wrestling

At 46 years old, the legend of American wrestling, Samoa Joe, has opened up about his future retirement from the ring. Far from prolonging his career, the wrestler announced in a chat with Shak Wrestling that he will step away when he sees that his level is not sufficient, prioritizing his health and personal well-being over wrestling: "No one ever wants to stay longer than necessary in this industry. I have been fortunate to be involved in it for over 25 years. And besides, many of us want to preserve as much of our health as we can for the years to come. So, that is probably the most likely scenario. But hey, this is an unusual world, and unusual opportunities arise, so we'll see".

In the interview, Joe also mentioned that he wouldn't like his retirement to be on a grand stage with all the media attention, like some did such as Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, or John Cena and Hiroshi Tanahashi in the coming years. "It could be a surprise. Maybe one day I'll just leave and that's it. I'm not as ceremonial as the others. I like to disappear into the sunset", concluded a philosophical Joe.

When asked about the reasons for this decision, the wrestler simply admitted that he wouldn't want to be a hindrance to the industry and the company he was in, which aligns with Joe's humble character. Despite all this, Joe admitted that he's not really worried about that moment, and is solely focused on his current role in AEW. "I hope we always look forward; obviously we have to appreciate the past, but not miss it too much", he concluded.

Currently, Samoa Joe is very comfortable in his position at Tony Khan's company. While many doubted his level after the long injury that halted him between 2019 and 2021, since his departure from WWE, he has been the wrestler who amazed everyone in TNA, ROH, and NXT. After his reign as AEW World Champion, Joe dropped a few spots on the card to push young talents and serve as the second sword in major storylines.

In the upcoming AEW event, Wrestledream, he will face "Hangman" Adam Page in a contest for the AEW World Championship.