AEW veteran Dustin Rhodes has made it clear he has no immediate plans to retire. Still, when the time comes, he envisions a significant storyline leading to his farewell match, potentially akin to Sting’s memorable AEW send-off.
Speaking on Close Up w/ Renee Paquette, the current Ring of Honor Tag Team Champion discussed his passion for wrestling and future aspirations after 37 years in the business. Rhodes acknowledged the eventual end but emphasized his current drive:
“Whenever the end is, it is kind of near, but not too close. Do we ever really retire in this business? As long as I have the passion, I’m gonna continue to do it.”
He revealed that he has given his retirement match considerable thought, stating, “That, I’ve thought up, I’ve thought in depth, and there’s a list of three guys. I’d rather not say them right now, I want to keep that close to my chest, but I do have a plan.”
He estimated this final chapter might be “a couple of years, two and a half, maybe” away, adding confidently, “I think Tony’s going to be okay with that.”
Rhodes also credited his match with his brother Cody in AEW for reigniting his passion for wrestling and praised Tony Khan’s vision for making wrestlers feel special.