Even at 59 years of age, Billy Gunn is still in exceptional shape and has been performing tremendously well in AEW. But for the last few weeks, a lot of uncertainty about his pro wrestling career has been going around, as he teased his retirement from in-ring competition.
All the speculation about Billy‘s retirement started after his actions on the July 22 episode of AEW Collision. On the show, The Acclaimed challenged House of Black for their Trios Championship but failed. What the 59-year-old did after his loss was pretty shocking, as he walked away after leaving his boots in the ring.
This gesture was the reason fans started wondering if The G-Man was really retiring. Is the WWE Hall of Famer finally hanging his boots?
The 30-year veteran joined Tony Khan’s company as Head Coach in 2019. Even though his journey with the promotion started with an off-screen role, he competed in several high-profile matches. It was later revealed that he had signed a separate contract as an in-ring competitor for All Elite Wrestling.
Despite the fact that Gunn seemingly announced his retirement from his in-ring career on July 22, no official confirmation has been made about it. However, even if the 59-year-old performer decides to really hang up his boots, he can still continue working in backstage roles for the Jacksonville-based promotion.
The Acclaimed vowed to win the AEW Tag Team Championship in honor of Billy Gunn
Billy Gunn may have been in the corner of The Acclaimed for a long time, but that wasn’t always the case. The trio started working on the same page only after the 59-year-old proved his loyalty to the team during a title defense in February 2023.
Although The G-Man wasn’t able to help the team retain their Tag titles against The Gunns, it was the match where they started having each other’s backs. Even though Billy’s assists went in vain, Anthony Bowens appreciated the veteran for his actions. The Acclaimed member also vowed to win the AEW Tag Team Championship in honor of Gunn.
Bowens said, “I don’t really have words at the moment BUT I promise you we’ll get those titles back. Plus, now we know where Daddy Ass stands…with The Acclaimed where he belongs [scissor emoji]. EVERYONE LOVES ACCLAIMED. #AEWDynamite“. (Via: Wrestling Inc)
It’s been over six months since the former Tag Champions vowed to win the titles again in honor of Billy, but they haven’t been able to do so. Now that the WWE Hall of Famer has probably retired from in-ring action, it seems that they’ll try to get a shot at the titles soon to show their respect for him. It remains to be seen whether Acclaimed can get an opportunity to challenge FTR for the titles in the near future or not.