Billy Gunn Reveals Why He’s Still Wrestling at 60

AEW veteran Billy Gunn might be over 60, but he’s not hanging up the boots just yet.

During an appearance on Fuel & Flex, the WWE Hall of Famer opened up about what drives him to stay in the ring—and what keeps him away from certain opponents. Gunn admitted that the physical toll of wrestling for over three decades is catching up with him, particularly his hips.

“Wrestling move-wise, that’s all they wanna see (the Fame-Asser). But my hips started hurting. And I was like, ‘What is that from? Oh yeah, 35 years of landing on the same spot night after night.’”

His biggest concern isn’t about staying relevant—it’s about avoiding injury that could keep him away from the gym.

“My biggest fear is that when I wrestle now, what I have to get past is, ‘God I hope I don’t get hurt, I won’t be able to train.’ That’s like the number one thing that gets in my head, is like, ‘Okay, I don’t wanna do a bunch of this because if I get hurt or something tweaks, then I won’t be able to go to the gym and lift, and if I can’t do that, I will lose my mind.’”

Though he admits his in-ring style is more nostalgia-based now, Gunn insists he’s still particular about who he wrestles—and isn’t shy about turning down bad ideas from inexperienced talent.

“I don’t not work, but I’m very particular of who I work with, because nowadays people just go to wrestling school and think that they’re John Cena for some reason.”

“They think they’re that good. And all of a sudden they say, ‘Hey I’m gonna do this,’ and I go, ‘You ain’t doing that to me. I’m not trusting you to turn me upside down and hope that you can hold me when you’re 100 pounds soaking wet. That’s insane. I don’t even know why you thought that’s a thing.’”

For Gunn, it’s about being smart and not doing “crazy things” just to prove something. He’s more focused on delivering for fans who grew up with him than trying to keep up with the current generation’s risks.

“I still pretty much do everything that I do. I never really did a lot. Now, when I get in the ring, it’s more for nostalgia purposes, for people to see – it’s more for parents that have kids that go, ‘Hey, this is the guy I grew up on, and I can still see him live.’”

Billy Gunn isn’t trying to be the flashiest guy in the ring anymore—he’s just trying to be the smartest. And at this stage in his career, he’s earned the right to call his own shots.

Do you think veterans like Billy Gunn should be more protected in the ring—or is it time for them to step aside? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.