Adam Pearce Clarifies Why He No Longer Wrestles

WWE Official Adam Pearce, who has taken on the role of the on-screen authority figure for the company, recently addressed the recurring question of why he no longer wrestles. In a detailed Facebook post, Pearce clarified that injuries were not the primary reason for his decision to step away from the ring.

He emphasized, "The assumption by some fans that injury forced me out of my active wrestling career has been a thing since I stepped away at the end of 2014. I had my fair share of injuries... injury had absolutely nothing to do with it."

Pearce went on to elaborate on the actual reason behind his departure, sharing a personal anecdote. He wrote, "In 2014, at the end of my 19th year of active wrestling, I was emotionally and physically tired. Working for yourself has a great number of advantages, but it’s also very difficult... Building a name reputable and marketable enough to be booked internationally is exhausting. The promotional hustle is exhausting. The networking is exhausting. The travel is exhausting." He emphasized that these challenges, along with the demands of wrestling and personal life, collectively took their toll. "So yeah, I was tired," Pearce admitted.

Additionally, Pearce disclosed that he developed a keen interest in coaching and wanted to share his passion for professional wrestling with others aspiring to pursue it. He explained, "Since the end of 2013, in between my bookings, I would periodically fly to the newly opened WWE Performance Center in Orlando to freelance as a coach and trainer, and eventually as a TV and Live Event Producer." Pearce had proactively equipped himself with a diverse skill set over the course of his two-decade career, which included training, booking, live event production, and writing and producing wrestling television. He stated, "I always planned for the day when I wouldn’t be taking bumps because I love the business and knew that I wanted to be sustainable and reliable and accountable to it long after I was putting on tights and boots. I planned ahead. I put tools in my toolbox. WWE gave me the ultimate chance to use them."

Pearce affirmed that he no longer wrestles simply because he chooses not to at the age of 45. "The point of this rant is simple: I don’t wrestle full-time anymore because 45-year-old me chooses not to. And the fortuitous part of that choice is that 45-year-old me doesn’t have to," he emphasized. Pearce's message served as an example to anyone aspiring to have a lifelong career in the industry, advising them to acquire various skills and learn from every experience. He encouraged individuals to continually add new tools to their toolbox, emphasizing that there is always a reason to do so.