Samoa Joe Has Years Left on AEW Contract Despite Retirement Talk

Samoa Joe might be hinting at retirement, but AEW President Tony Khan isn’t ready to let him go just yet.

After Joe made headlines during an interview with SHAK Wrestling by admitting this could be his final run, fans began to wonder how long the veteran has left. Joe openly reflected on his future, saying he’s ready to bow out quietly when the time comes.

“I’d say most likely,” Joe said about this AEW run being his last. “You never want to overstay your welcome in this industry… I think many of us want to preserve what we can of our health for our latter years.”

And when it’s finally over, don’t expect a grand goodbye tour like Cena or Flair.

“No, not at all. It might be a surprise. It might just be one day I’m gone and leave it at that. I’m not as ceremonial as everybody else. I like disappearing into the sunset.”

Joe made it clear he doesn’t want to take attention away from the future of wrestling.

“I wouldn’t want to hold up a young, burgeoning industry on behalf of myself… I’ve always been somebody that’s been firmly planted with my head toward the future and never tried to dwell too much in the past.”

But Tony Khan has a different take. During an AEW WrestleDream preview chat with Conrad Thompson, the AEW President addressed the retirement rumors and made it clear that the company has no plans of letting Joe fade out any time soon.

“It’s a great point and I think that when the time’s there, we don’t want to think about that yet — because I think Samoa Joe still has years left with AEW, which is great,” Khan said. “And I think we’ll focus on Samoa Joe as one of the top stars in wrestling right now.”

Khan didn’t rule out honoring Joe if and when the time comes—but made it clear that day isn’t coming anytime soon.

“If and when the time ever comes for Samoa Joe to hang them up, I hope that AEW will be able to pay great tribute to somebody that is one of the most accomplished stars ever in AEW and one of the great champions in wrestling, which is Samoa Joe.”

For now, Samoa Joe remains one of AEW’s most dominant forces—reigning as a World Trios Champion and continuing to build on an already legendary legacy that spans ROH, TNA, WWE, and AEW. Samoa Joe might be thinking about the end—but Tony Khan is betting on plenty more to come.

Do you think Samoa Joe still has a few top-level runs left in him? Or should he stick to his plan and step away quietly? Sound off in the comments and let us know how you see his final chapter playing out.

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