Subhojeet Mukherjee on May 5, 2026
Rick Boogs once sounded completely done with pro wrestling after his WWE release—but that may no longer be the case.
After previously saying he had no plans to return to wrestling following his WWE exit in 2023, Rick Boogs is now changing that stance. Speaking again with Chris Van Vliet on the May 5, 2026 edition of INSIGHT, Boogs was asked directly if he’s finished with wrestling — and this time, his answer wasn’t a hard no.
“I don’t think so, man.”
Boogs hasn’t wrestled in nearly three years, and he addressed that gap head-on, explaining that staying away from the ring wasn’t due to lack of opportunities — it was a deliberate decision.
“I haven’t had any independent matches or appeared at any conventions. That was very intentional. Don’t get it twisted, people—I had many things thrown at me, but I was like, ‘No, I don’t want anything.’ Mainly because I wanted to see if I could thrive on my own, which I have.”
He made it clear that part of that decision came from wanting to prove something to himself outside of wrestling — even admitting pride may have played a role. Now, with that goal accomplished, Boogs isn’t ruling out stepping back into the business — but only under the right circumstances.
“Maybe that was pride and ego, but I proved it. Pro wrestling is fun, so if the opportunity is right, yeah, absolutely.”
At the same time, he explained why he stepped away in the first place, pointing to the physical toll of wrestling and how it could interfere with other opportunities.
“Pro wrestling is tough. What if I had a kink in my shoulder? Oh man, I can’t do any pushups and miss Gladiators because of that.”
That’s where his current focus is. Boogs made it very clear that right now, his priority is his role on American Gladiators, where he’s fully invested in succeeding.
“2026!? I think I just want to be… I am so all in on American Gladiators. I’m competitive—I want to be so freaking incredible.”
Bottom line — Boogs isn’t actively chasing a wrestling comeback, but he’s no longer shutting the door on it either. If the right situation comes along, he’s open — just not at the expense of what he’s building now.
Do you think Rick Boogs should make a return to wrestling, or is he better off focusing on his current path outside the ring? Let us know your thoughts.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
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