Jaxson Ryker traded his wrestling boots for a badge, and he’s happy keeping it that way. The former WWE star says he misses parts of the business, but three years into retirement, he has no desire to take another bump—and he isn’t spending his downtime watching other people take them either.
Speaking with Ben Veal on Wrestling Life, Ryker explained what life looks like after leaving the ring behind. When Veal asked about the years since his WWE release and retirement, Ryker pointed to his final match against friend Casey Cage and the career he has built in law enforcement.
“So, 20 August of 2023, I had my final match in North Carolina against my buddy Casey Cage, who and I used to have a podcast together. So, since then, um I have been in law enforcement now for three years in kind of the county and the area I live in. Um I get asked the question all the time like, ‘Do you miss wrestling?’ And and I do. I do.”
Missing wrestling and wanting to wrestle again are two different things for Ryker. He explained that entertaining fans and being around the locker room still mean something to him, but he knew when it was time to leave.
“I miss, you know, entertaining the people in a certain way. I miss being in the locker room with the boys. Uh, but I knew that in 2023, it was time for me to step away. I’d always said I wanted to walk off on my on my own terms. And so, um, since then, I’ve just been obviously raising my daughter, who’s 10 now, and just pursuing a new career, man.”
His body has also given him plenty of reasons to stick with that decision. Ryker said the physical difference since retiring has been substantial, and while he still enjoys appearances and reconnecting with fans, another match was never part of the plan.
“And just seeing the path that God has me on. Um, my body feels 100% better than it did three years ago. Uh, it was beat up bad. So, with that being said, man, I’m just um just new job, new life. I still do some signings and show up at shows and and it’s good to see old fans and old friends. Um, but I have no desire when I put those boots in the middle of the ring in August of 2023. Um, I had no intentions of coming back and and and having a match and I’m I’m very happy with my decision.”
That lines up with how he ended his career. Ringside News covered Ryker leaving his boots in the ring at an AML Wrestling event in North Carolina in August 2023, marking the end of his in-ring run.
Ryker has stepped away from more than taking bookings. Later in the interview, Veal asked whether he keeps up with wrestling, and the former Forgotten Sons member said watching the product no longer interests him.
“I’ll be honest, I have not since 2021. Um, just wrestling now, I don’t I I’m a very busy person. I really don’t watch a lot of TV. Couple hours a week maybe. Um, I I keep in touch with some of the guys, but as far as watching the product, I just I think I’m a point in my life now where I just I’m not intrigued with it anymore.”
That answer prompted Veal to ask whether Ryker felt burned by the wrestling business. Despite the setbacks discussed elsewhere in the interview, Ryker rejected that explanation and pointed to the opportunities his career gave him.
“No man, I will never been have a bad thing to say about the wrestling business because a lot of people can a lot of people say, ‘Yeah, I burned or backstabbed this that.’ Man, I am a kid from Hickory, North Carolina, a small town. And and I’m not just saying this to blow smoke, but all the stuff that happened, whether good or bad, it’s just part of life’s story. And I was blessed enough for 23 years to live a dream that some will never be able to live or even be able to taste a little bit of what that feels like.”
He continued by explaining that workplace politics did not disappear when he changed careers. For Ryker, the difficult experiences have not erased what reaching WWE meant to him.
“So to say burned, no, I mean there’s politics everywhere you go Ben. There’s politics in law enforcement I deal with now and but I’ve always been that kind of person to just kind of focus on and just how lucky and blessed I was. So I can’t no I met a lot of good people. Uh, some didn’t like me, some did, and it is what it is. That’s just life. But dude, to be able to say I walked into WWE for five years and I was successful, that’s all I need to say.”
Ryker’s retirement stance was also the focus of Ringside News’ September 25 coverage of his comments. His explanation makes the decision clear: he can appreciate the career he had without wanting to restart it.
Wrestling loves a “one more match” comeback, but Ryker isn’t selling one. He has a new career, more time with his daughter and a body that finally feels better—and he sounds perfectly happy leaving his boots where he put them.
What do you make of Jaxson Ryker’s decision to leave wrestling behind and pursue law enforcement? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
