Zach Gowen, widely regarded as the most famous one-legged wrestler in the business, has retired from professional wrestling after 24 years.
Gowen announced the decision on Facebook, posting his first-ever promo picture beside his most recent one. In the message, he thanked every promoter who gave him an opportunity and said he has performed for every major company over the past 24 years.
He thanked the fans for accepting him as a legitimate pro wrestler and not as a sideshow act. He said wrestling gave a very lost kid a direction and an outlet, and that becoming a professional wrestler was all he ever wanted.
Thank you to every promoter who gave me an opportunity to wrestle. I’ve had the privilege of performing for every major company over the past 24 years. Special thank you to the fans for not rejecting me.
Pro wrestling provided a direction and outlet for a very lost kid. All I ever wanted to be was a professional wrestler and I accomplished that solely because you accepted me not as a sideshow act but as a legitimate pro wrestler. I’m deeply grateful.
Gowen named his one-off AEW appearance in 2025, a match against Ricochet, as the highlight of his career. His family was at ringside, and the match capped a redemption story after a dark period in his life that included a serious drug addiction.
That period was documented in a “Dark Side of the Ring” episode that aired earlier this year. He closed by crediting God and the people who invested in him for his success, calling himself the luckiest guy in the world.
NJPW commentator Walker Stewart also shared the news on X. Stewart called Gowen’s final match at a recent WrestleRave event in Houston, Texas. Stewart described him as a fighter who was determined never to be defined by his demons or his disabilities, but by his work ethic and spirit.
