Why Sami Callihan Really Retired After TNA Emergence Match

Sami Callihan wasn’t just cutting a promo—his final match at TNA Emergence marked the true end of an era. After losing a brutal Baltimore Street Fight to Mike Santana, Callihan lived up to his vow and walked away from the ring. But now we know why.

According to Fightful Select, the former TNA World Champion has been struggling physically following a string of serious injuries, and that pain has been taking a toll.

“Sami Callihan lost his retirement match in TNA. He’s been helping out behind the scenes a lot lately, and promotes Pro Wrestling Revolver, which he dedicates a lot of time to. He had a lot of struggles physically after some serious injuries.”

Callihan still made it to the ring one last time, where he faced off with Santana in a fight that saw chairs, chaos, and consequences. After eating a brutal Spin the Block, Callihan was pinned—and just like that, his 1,417-match career was over. True to wrestling tradition, he left his boots in the ring before exiting for the final time.

Backstage, emotions ran high. While talent lined up to pay their respects, Eric Young interrupted the moment and made things personal, throwing blame at Joe Hendry for TNA’s recent problems. Hendry didn’t flinch, stepping up to Young and planting the seeds for a possible showdown.

But for Callihan, it was a sendoff years in the making. After battles in WWE NXT, TNA, and independent promotions around the world, he now turns his focus to promoting Pro Wrestling Revolver—while managing the lingering effects of a body worn down by war.